Pope Leo XIV also argued for a ban on AI-controlled weapons, warning they could "normalize an anti-human vision" and lower the political costs of war

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"Magnifica Humanitas" states that AI systems do not undergo experiences or feel joy or pain

Anthropic staff lobbied Pope Leo XIV's advisers to take the possibility of AI consciousness seriously before "Magnifica Humanitas" was published

Dario Amodei declined Cardinal Michael Czerny's invitation to the Vatican launch of "Magnifica Humanitas"

Chris Olah proposed withdrawing Anthropic from the "Magnifica Humanitas" launch after seeing an advance copy of the encyclical

Children should not have unrestricted access to AI companions

"Magnifica Humanitas" calls for robust regulation of artificial intelligence

The Vatican launch of "Magnifica Humanitas" included remarks by Anthropic co-founder Christopher Olah

Pope Leo XIV issued his first major theological document, an encyclical titled "Magnifica Humanitas" ("Magnificent Humanity"), on May 25, 2026

Pope Leo XIV stated that the development and use of AI in warfare must be subject to "the most rigorous ethical constraints."

The Pope compared the risk of AI concentration to the biblical story of the "Tower of Babel," a plan that "dominates and ultimately dehumanizes."

In a break from tradition, Pope Leo XIV personally presented the encyclical at a Vatican event

The encyclical, spanning nearly 43,000 words, is addressed to Catholics and "every person of goodwill."

The encyclical warns that AI is fueling world conflicts and helping to facilitate the "normalisation of war."

"Magnifica Humanitas" applies Catholic social teaching core concepts including justice, solidarity, the dignity of work, and the universal destination of resources to the digital revolution

Pope Leo XIV in "Magnifica Humanitas" repeatedly criticized the concentration of power and data in the hands of so few people in the private sector as a danger, especially to children and the most vulnerable

The Vatican decided to involve Anthropic in the "Magnifica Humanitas" launch as part of its decade-long effort to engage Silicon Valley in dialogue over the human cost of AI

Pope Leo XIV signed "Magnifica Humanitas" on May 15, 2026, the 135th anniversary of the publication of "Rerum Novarum"

"Magnifica Humanitas" calls for AI developers to work for the common good rather than profit

Pope Leo XIV denounced the "culture of power" driving the AI race in "Magnifica Humanitas"

"Magnifica Humanitas" states that the pursuit of greater profits cannot justify choices that systematically sacrifice jobs, because the human person is an end, not a means