Pope Leon XIV cautions against AI‑driven human subjugation in new encyclical

In the encyclical Magnifica Humanitas, published on 15 May 2026, Pope Leon XIV warns that artificial intelligence could erode human freedom, judgment and the capacity for independent thought. While acknowledging AI’s potential benefits for health, research and education, the Pope stresses the risk of a concentration of technological power in the hands of a few private actors, describing data, digital infrastructure and computing power as new strategic levers.

Leon XIV likens unchecked AI development to the biblical tower of Babel, a symbol of hubristic overreach, and calls for a cultural‑spiritual “combat” to preserve human autonomy. He urges believers and society at large to resist a cognitive dependence on machines that could fragment attention, diminish reflective effort and undermine the anthropological basis of freedom. The French Confederation of Christian Workers (CFTC) and Entrepreneurs and Christian Leaders (EDC) have used the encyclical as a platform for weekly discussions on keeping technology in service of humanity.

The Pope’s message frames AI not as an inherently hostile technology but as a tool whose misuse could lead to a new form of economic, cognitive and cultural domination, calling for vigilance and collective responsibility.