Pope Leo XIV has called for the “disarmament” of artificial intelligence (AI) to prevent it from dominating humanity, warning that this technology is widening inequalities between the included and the excluded.
In his first encyclical, entitled Magnifica Humanitas (Magnificent Humanity), the American pope argues that AI cannot be regarded as morally neutral. He emphasises the importance of education in managing its risks and advocates for a shared ethical code.
“AI is already an environment in which we are immersed and a force we must contend with. Therefore, it is not enough to merely regulate it; it must be disarmed and made accessible,” Leo XIV states in the a 130-page document, which centres on protecting human dignity.
“Disarming doesn’t mean abandoning technology but ensuring it does not dominate humanity,” he explains, criticising the pursuit of the most advanced algorithm or the largest database, which he says often serves to cement "geopolitical or commercial advantages over others".
The pontiff also calls for breaking the link between technical power and the right to govern, warning that the concentration of these resources in the hands of a few creates new imbalances and deepens divisions.
“When these goods remain concentrated among a select few, without proper forms of sharing and access, a new inequality emerges, feeding the gap between the included and the excluded,” Leo XIV argues.
He urges the creation of a “new spiritual, ethical and political framework” to guide these innovations, one that also prioritises environmental respect in its considerations.
