Pope Leo XIV is set to release the first encyclical letter of his papacy to address the protection of human dignity in the age of Artificial Intelligence.
Magnifica humanitas (Magnificent humanity) is set to be published on May 25.
A presentation of the new encyclical will be held at the Vatican’s Synod Hall on the same day at 11:30 a.m., to be attended by Church leaders, theologians, and AI experts, according to a Vatican News report.
The pastoral letter, addressed to all people of goodwill, was signed by Pope Leo on May 15, coinciding with the 135th anniversary of Pope Leo XIII’s encyclical Rerum novarum.
Rerum novarum (Of New Things), issued by Pope Leo XIII in 1891, addressed the severe social and economic inequalities brought by the Industrial Revolution, and is considered one of the foundations of modern Catholic Social Teaching.
‘New industrial revolution’
The timing suggests a parallel between the concerns of labor and capital addressed by Leo XIII and today’s ethical questions surrounding AI and digital technology.
“As Pope Leo ushers in a new era of the papacy, he walks with humanity in an age shaped by what many call a new industrial revolution,” Ivan Efreaim Gozum, who researches on the dynamics of AI and theology at the Institute of Religion, told the Varsitarian in an interview.
The theology instructor said choosing AI as the subject of the pope’s encyclical signals that the Church accompanies her people in the changing world, “ensuring that technological progress always remains centered on the human person and the common good.”
Catholic educational institutions, Gozum stressed, need to balance openness to innovation with ethical discernment. He urged institutions to develop AI ethical policies for students, teachers, and researchers, while promoting academic integrity by ensuring that AI supports learning rather than replacing critical thinking, creativity, and personal effort.
“In the age of AI, the real challenge is not simply whether technology becomes more intelligent, but whether humanity remains wise, compassionate, and faithful to its moral responsibilities,” he said.
The release of the document preceded Pope Leo’s approval of the creation of an Interdicasterial Commission on Artificial Intelligence on May 12, according to a separate Vatican News article.
The commission will be composed of seven Vatican bodies and offices: the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, the Dicastery for Culture and Education, the Dicastery for Communication, the Pontifical Academy for Life, the Pontifical Academy of Sciences, and the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences.
The announcement on May 16 was signed by Cardinal Michael Czerny, prefect of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development.
