WORLD NEWS – Pope Leo calls for AI regulations, in wars that “desensitizes” humans in his encyclical

By Renae Hefty

Pope Leo XIV stressed the importance of AI regulations in his first encyclical, titled “Magnifica Humanitas.” In the document, which he signed on May 15, he applied the core concepts of the Catholic Church’s social teachings to the current revolution of technology. The day he signed the document was the 135th anniversary of when his namesake, Pope Leo XIII, signed “Rerum Novarum.” He revealed a special Vatican presentation of the encyclical. He called AI the greatest challenge humanity is currently facing. He also called for AI developers to use AI for the common good, rather than for profit. AI is being integrated into almost every aspect of life, including war. Millions of high-paying jobs have been replaced by AI. The pope said trusting AI with irreversible, lethal decisions was not permissible.

The Trump administration has been working to do the exact opposite; it has pushed for the deregulation of AI. In one chapter, Pope Leo wrote that AI contributed to the normalization of war by desensitizing societies to the deadly human cost o war. He also critiqued Catholicism’s criteria for when war is justified as outdated, due to constantly evolving technological advancements. His document also issued history’s first ever papal apology for the Vatican’s role in legitimizing slavery.