2026-05-19 13:03:01

Pope Leo XIV is preparing to publish the first major text of his papacy, focusing on the rise of artificial intelligence and its impact on humanity.

The Vatican confirmed the new encyclical, titled Magnifica Humanitas – or Magnificent Humanity – will address “the protection of the human person in the age of artificial intelligence”.

The document will be unveiled at the Vatican on May 25 in an unusual public presentation attended by Christopher Olah, co-founder of AI company Anthropic.

The move marks a break from Vatican tradition, as papal encyclicals are typically presented solely by senior church officials.

Olah will join theologians Anna Rowlands and Léocadie Lushombo alongside Vatican cardinals, while Pope Leo himself is expected to attend.

Encyclicals are among the highest forms of papal teaching and often define a pope’s priorities while addressing major social and ethical issues facing the world.

The Vatican said Leo signed the text on May 15, exactly 135 years after Pope Leo XIII signed his landmark encyclical addressing workers’ rights and the Industrial Revolution.

Vatican correspondent Andrea Vreede said the timing carried symbolic significance.

She said: “His encyclical is going to be a response to the dazzlingly rapid technological revolution that is happening right now.

“So he will say things like AI shouldn’t be used in warfare, that is obvious. But he will also try to be positive and offer workable answers to modern challenges.”

The Vatican has increasingly engaged with major technology companies in recent years, holding regular discussions with firms including Microsoft and Google over the ethical implications of AI.

Christopher White, author of Pope Leo XIV: Inside the Conclave and the Dawn of a New Papacy, said the document would likely build on those conversations.

He said: “Leo’s new encyclical is likely to build on that tradition – not from a perspective of doomerism but one of caution that as technology advances, the human person should be kept at the centre of the discussion.”

Vreede said the Pope’s direct involvement in the launch reflected a deliberate communications strategy.

She said: “That’s a very clever strategic communication move.

“If the pope is there, all the cameras will be there, and we will all listen.”

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