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Pope Leo has released a new Vatican encyclical, Magnifica Humanitas, warning that artificial intelligence risks becoming an instrument of “domination, exclusion and death” unless governments and institutions set moral limits on rapidly developing technologies.
The Vatican is officially entering the global debate over artificial intelligence, as governments and tech companies race to develop increasingly powerful AI systems amid limited international regulation.
Citing Pope Leo
“Today, we face a transformation of a similar scale, and perhaps with even greater impact,” the Pope said.
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Pope Francis has warned in a new Vatican encyclical that artificial intelligence could become a force for “domination, exclusion and death” without moral restraint. (Photo by Alberto PIZZOLI/AFP via Getty Images)
The Pope warned of the growing number of autonomous weapons systems that are beyond meaningful human control. He also said AI systems could impede access to health care, employment and safety due to biased data. He compared AI governance to nuclear arms control.
“Like nuclear energy, it must serve everyone and the common good,” he said.
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Pope Leo XIV leads a vigil for peace inside St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican on April 11, 2026. (Gregorio Borgia/Associated Press)
Disarming AI is not enough, the pope said, calling on governments and institutions to “build” systems rooted in trust and human dignity. Recalling Peru’s devastating floods, he said rebuilding is about restoring faith and hope.
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Leading the Angelus prayer from the window of the Vatican’s Apostolic Palace on March 1, 2026, Pope Leo XIV warned that escalating violence in the Middle East risks turning into an “irreversible abyss.” (Reuters/Guglielmo Mangiapane)
The pope also laid out the church’s broader discussion on humanity and technology.
“Man has within himself a freedom, an interiority, and a vocation to love and worship that no machine can replace,” he said.
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The Vatican is introducing moral theology into a largely secular technological arms race.
The Pope urged humans to “stay awake” and warned humanity not to trust machines with moral judgment.
