Pope Leo XIV Encyclical "Magnifica Humanitas" Sets Ethical Framework for AI Governance (vatican.va)

• Official encyclical of Pope Leo XIV published at the Vatican on 15 May 2026.
• States that AI concentrates power in private transnational companies beyond state control.
• Condemns autonomous weapons, the normalization of war, and the crisis of multilateralism.
• Develops Catholic social teaching on the common good, subsidiarity, solidarity, and human dignity.

"On 15 May 2026, Pope Leo XIV published the encyclical Magnifica Humanitas on safeguarding the human person in the age of artificial intelligence. The document warns that AI and digital technologies concentrate power in private transnational actors, calls for binding regulation and transparent governance, and rejects transhumanist narratives. It addresses AI in warfare, the normalization of armed conflict, and the crisis of multilateralism. Rooted in Catholic social doctrine, it proposes principles such as the common good, subsidiarity, solidarity, and the universal destination of goods as criteria for technological development. The encyclical appeals to governments, researchers, and industry to ensure dignity and peace remain central to AI policy."