Guide to Pope Leo XIV’s encyclical on artificial intelligence, ‘Magnificent Humanity’
Guide to Pope Leo XIV’s encyclical on artificial intelligence, ‘Magnificent Humanity’
Publish Date: 2026-05-25 16:14:00
Source Domain: www.transparencycoalition.ai
‘it is necessary to establish adequate regulatory tools’
Pope Leo wrote: “In recent years, it has become increasingly evident how rapidly and profoundly digitalization, artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics are transforming our world. Technology should not be considered, in itself, as a force antagonistic to humanity. On the contrary, it has formed part of our history since the beginning as ‘a profoundly human reality, linked to the autonomy and freedom of man.’”
He noted that “each phase of progress has also revealed the ambiguity of tools that can cause harm when not oriented toward the good. Today, however, we find ourselves facing a new situation. The power and prevalence of emerging technologies are interwoven into the fabric of daily life, shaping decision-making processes and deeply affecting the collective imagination: ‘Never has humanity had such power over itself.’ New technologies open up a horizon extending in directions that are imaginable but not yet fully predictable. This complicates the assessment of their potential impact and the long-term effects they may have on both the dignity of individuals and the common good.”
“It is necessary,” the pontiff wrote, “to establish adequate regulatory tools capable of upholding justice and curbing the distorting effects of technological power.”
concern over ‘technological power’ in private hands
The issue, he added, “is not limited to regulation.”
“In the past, it was largely up to the State to guide and direct innovation. Today, however, the main drivers of development are private, often transnational, parties that are endowed with resources and the capacity to intervene that surpass those of many Governments. Technological power thus takes on an unprecedented, predominantly private aspect, which makes it even more challenging to discern, govern and direct such power toward the common good.”
The encyclical called for:
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Government regulation of private AI developers…
