Pope Leo’s Focus on AI Ethics
The Vatican announced that Pope Leo has established an internal research group to address the rapid advancement of AI and its potential ramifications for humanity, emphasizing the church’s commitment to human dignity.
This decision follows closely after Leo signed a new encyclical—exactly 135 years since his predecessor, Pope Leo XIII, published Rerum Novarum, a pivotal document that discussed workers’ rights and the responsibilities of states and employers during the industrial era. Many see this earlier encyclical as a foundational text in modern Catholic social teaching, which has already been referenced by the current Pope regarding the challenges posed by the AI revolution. He believes it raises similar existential dilemmas as those confronted in the past.
The upcoming encyclical is expected to frame AI concerns within the broader context of the church’s social teachings, touching on themes like work, justice, and peace. Megan Sullivan, a philosophy professor at Notre Dame, remarked that the Catholic Church might play a critical role in shaping discussions around integrating AI into society, with the Pope positioned as a strong advocate for human dignity in those conversations.
Just shortly after the 2025 elections, Leo informed the cardinals that the Catholic Church has a duty to share “treasures of social education” to tackle the challenges AI presents about “human dignity, justice, and work.”
Anticipated to be controversial, the encyclical’s release could become a point of contention between Pope Leo and the Trump administration, which has prioritized rapid AI development as a vital part of national strategy. The U.S. has actively opposed various international attempts to regulate AI, removing obstacles that could slow down domestic advancements.
The Vatican’s proactive stance coincides with President Trump’s current trip to China, which includes discussions on AI business opportunities. Prominent figures like Elon Musk and Nvidia’s CEO Jensen Huang were part of the entourage, with Huang recently securing U.S. approval to sell AI technology to Chinese markets.
Since ChatGPT sparked a boom in AI, its capabilities have captivated many. However, experts continue to raise alarms about the potential risks, ranging from existential threats posed by rogue AI to more everyday issues like biases in hiring algorithms.
Last year, the United Nations implemented a new framework to manage AI, following a series of unsuccessful multinational initiatives. In 2024, the EU introduced its own AI regulations, taking a risk-based approach to governing these technologies.
The Vatican aims to contribute ethical perspectives on using AI across diverse fields—such as warfare, education, and healthcare—arguing that technology should enhance, not replace, human intellect.
Additionally, there are concerns about AI’s environmental impact since the infrastructure necessary for such technologies can consume enormous amounts of energy and water.
Given there are about 1.5 billion Catholics globally, Thomas Harmon, a theology professor, suggests that the Catholic Church’s engagement in this conversation is significant. He further notes that the church’s commitment extends beyond numbers, delving into profound questions about what it means to be human.
In 2020, the Vatican invited tech companies to endorse the “Rome Call on AI Ethics,” which outlines essential principles for the governance of AI, including fairness, accountability, and inclusivity, with companies like Microsoft and IBM agreeing to these terms.
Pope Francis, in his later years, pushed for an international treaty to regulate AI, advocating that merely relying on tech developers’ morals could lead to a lack of crucial human values like compassion and morality. He also urged politicians to take charge of ensuring that AI remains focused on human-centric issues, advocating for a ban on lethal autonomous weapons.
Internally, Pope Leo has cautioned clergy against using AI for sermon writing, yet he is aware of the extensive implications AI holds for peace, labor, and even the essence of reality. Notably, he expressed concerns about generative AI’s capacity to distort truth and perspective, as these issues strike at the core of his order’s spiritual mission.
During a speech at the June 2025 AI Conference, Leo acknowledged generative AI’s benefits for medicine and research but questioned its influence on humanity’s perception of truth and beauty. He has consistently underscored the need for regulatory oversight on AI’s role in contemporary warfare, particularly in regions like the Middle East and Ukraine, where autonomous weapons are increasingly utilized.
In his recent address, he remarked on the troubling evolution of technology in conflict settings, emphasizing that developments in areas like Ukraine and Gaza highlight a disturbing trajectory in the relationship between warfare and technology.
