Pope urges ‘disarming’ of AI in major manifesto

Pope Leo XIV issued a landmark manifesto on Monday, urging the global community to 'disarm' artificial intelligence and prevent its misuse as an instrument of domination. In his first encyclical, *Magnifica Humanitas*, the pope condemned the 'race for ever more powerful algorithms' driven by geopolitical and commercial ambitions, warning of 'new forms of slavery' emerging from unchecked AI development. The encyclical was unveiled at the Vatican alongside AI experts, including Christopher Olah, co-founder of Anthropic, a company currently embroiled in a legal dispute with the U.S. military over its refusal to support lethal autonomous warfare and mass surveillance. Olah acknowledged that AI companies operate within conflicting incentives, emphasizing the need for external oversight, such as that from the Catholic Church, to guide the technology toward ethical outcomes. Leo XIV stressed that AI must be 'freed from logics that turn it into an instrument of domination, exclusion, and death,' explicitly condemning the use of AI in lethal decision-making. He dismissed the 'just war' theory, recently promoted by the Trump administration, as outdated and argued that no algorithm can justify war morally. The pope had previously clashed with the White House over its stance on the Iran conflict and religious justification for warfare. The encyclical also highlighted economic disparities, citing a United Nations projection that AI could reach a $4.8 trillion market value by 2033, with profits concentrated among a limited few. Leo XIV called for dialogue with scientists, engineers, political leaders, parents, and teachers to address the 'troubling voices' and 'silence of those who have no voice' in AI development. He expressed confidence that collaborative efforts could shape the future of humanity responsibly. The pope’s intervention follows growing concerns about AI’s ethical implications, including its role in warfare, surveillance, and societal inequality. By inviting stakeholders to 'walk together' in addressing these challenges, Leo XIV positioned the Catholic Church as a key voice in the global debate over AI governance.