The Vatican is set to unveil a significant encyclical titled “Magnifica humanitas” on May 25, focusing on the implications of artificial intelligence for human dignity. This announcement follows Pope Leo XIV's ongoing engagement with AI topics since his papacy began. The event will take place at the Vatican and will include a keynote from Christopher Olah, co-founder of the AI company Anthropic.
Pope Leo XIV's interest in artificial intelligence has been evident from his initial addresses to the clergy, where he highlighted the Church's social teachings in response to modern technological challenges. He has drawn parallels between his papacy and that of Pope Leo XIII, who addressed issues related to labor during the Industrial Revolution through his encyclical “Rerum Novarum”.
In a previous message for the 60th World Day of Social Communications, the Pope emphasized the importance of maintaining human thought and relationships in the face of advancing technology. This forthcoming encyclical aims to address how AI might affect these fundamental aspects of human interaction.