Pope Leo XIV to Present First Encyclical on AI at Vatican Event

Pope Leo XIV will present his first encyclical on artificial intelligence at the Vatican on May 25. The document, titled Magnifica Humanitas, addresses the preservation of human dignity in the age of AI. The Vatican announced the event Monday. Leo signed the encyclical on May 15, the same date Pope Leo XIII issued Rerum Novarum 135 years earlier.

Two cardinals will serve as main presenters.

Cardinal Víctor Manuel Fernández and Cardinal Michael Czerny will lead the discussion in the main Vatican auditorium. Chris Olah, co-founder of Anthropic, will speak as a lay participant. Theologians Anna Rowlands and Leocadie Lushombo will also address the gathering. Cardinal Pietro Parolin will offer concluding remarks. Pope Leo XIV will deliver a speech and give a final blessing.

Background on the Encyclical The new document places AI questions within the framework of Catholic social teaching on labor, justice, and peace. Leo has previously expressed concern about AI applications in warfare and called for monitoring of the technology.

The encyclical follows the creation of a Vatican study group on AI. That group was formed to examine the technology’s potential effects on human beings and the church’s concern for human dignity.

has positioned itself as an AI company focused on safety and risk mitigation. The company’s participation in the event underscores its emphasis on responsible development. The firm was founded in 2021 by former OpenAI employees who sought a stronger focus on safety.

Its chatbot Claude competes with other major AI systems. Anthropic recently reported a valuation of $380 billion. The company has also discussed U.S.-China competition in AI and the risks of the technology reaching authoritarian regimes.