Pope Leo XIV Demands Global AI Regulation in New Encyclical

The pontiff argues that AI naturally amplifies the influence of those holding existing economic resources and data, potentially allowing small, powerful groups to manipulate democratic processes and consumer behavior. He characterizes the unchecked displacement of human workers by automation as morally corrosive, suggesting that a society relying on a tiny fraction of the population for labor risks profound anthropological regression and a total collapse of social peace.

Beyond economic concerns, Leo addresses the integration of AI into military strategy, explicitly rejecting the notion that algorithms can sanitize conflict. He contends that AI lowers the threshold for violence by rendering war impersonal and reducing human victims to mere data points. While acknowledging that technological progress has historically improved living conditions, the document insists that current advancements require a moral framework to ensure they serve the common good rather than merely optimizing destruction.