Pope Leo warns AI could threaten jobs, privacy and human dignity

Pope Leo, in his first encyclical Magnifica humanitas, said artificial intelligence is not inherently harmful but its design and control are never neutral. He warned that AI could lead to large‑scale job losses, enable pervasive surveillance and disinformation, and be used in autonomous weapons that remove human responsibility from lethal decisions.

The Pope called for clear accountability, independent public oversight and internationally shared ethical standards. He stressed the risk of power concentrating in a few companies, governments or wealthy groups, widening inequality, and warned about the environmental costs of large AI systems. Leo urged that AI development be guided by respect for human dignity, with legal responsibility for developers, operators and institutions, and that education protect curiosity, judgment and the desire for genuine human connections.