Area Catholic leaders, experts praise Pope Leo’s AI encyclical
Area Catholic leaders, experts praise Pope Leo’s AI encyclical
Publish Date: 2026-05-27 15:46:00
Source Domain: www.chicagotribune.com
Local Catholic leaders and cybersecurity experts praised Pope Leo XIV’s first major writing addressing artificial intelligence and humanity.
Leo called Monday for a robust regulation of artificial intelligence and for its developers to work for the common good rather than profit, issuing a sweeping manifesto on safeguarding humankind as the technology impacts everything from work to war.
“Magnifica Humanitas” (Magnificent Humanity), Leo’s first encyclical, has been eagerly awaited ever since history’s first U.S.-born pope announced days after his election that he considered AI to be the biggest challenge facing humanity today.
In the text, Leo denounced the “culture of power” driving the AI race, especially in developing ever more sophisticated methods of remote warfare. He declared that it was “not permissible” to entrust irreversible, lethal decisions to AI systems, setting up another flash point between the American pope and the Trump administration, which has worked aggressively to deregulate AI development.
“Artificial Intelligence now demands to be disarmed, freed from logics that turn it into an instrument of domination, exclusion and death,” the pope told a special Vatican presentation of the encyclical, one of the most authoritative types of teaching documents a pope can issue.
Leo has written “an exceptional lens through which to view artificial intelligence,” Bishop of Gary Robert McClory said.
“The encyclical is not just addressed to Catholics, but to the world, in this pivotal moment where technology has the potential to shape so many aspects of the human experience. Pope Leo challenges us to engage the exponential growth and use of artificial intelligence with integrity and concern for all of humanity,” McClory said.
McClory said he looks forward to discussing the document with the parish because it “will be an important guide for our parishes, schools and ministries.”
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