Pope Francis' AI warnings lead to first religious exemption for a worker in the US

Pope Francis (referred to as Pope Leo XIV in a Portuguese encyclical titled *Magnifica Humanitas*) warned that artificial intelligence must be subordinated to human dignity and creativity, urging that technology serve people rather than the opposite. He highlighted risks of unregulated AI for culture, ethics and the environment.

In the United States, 34‑year‑old software engineer Erin Maus, a Unitarian Universalist employed by a tech entertainment company in North Carolina, secured a religious accommodation allowing her to refuse the use of AI tools at work. Citing environmental and ethical objections, Maus now writes and reviews code manually, reporting no loss of productivity. Her case may set a precedent for other employees seeking similar exemptions as opposition to mandatory AI use grows across industries and lawmakers.