The Vatican published a new encyclical this morning titled "Magnifica Humanitas of His Holiness Pope Leo XIV on Safeguarding the Human Person in the Time of Artificial Intelligence." The document offers some of the clearest writing on AI ethics and its place in modern society.
Pope Leo XIV selected his papal name in honor of Pope Leo XIII, famous for the 1891 encyclical "Rerum novarum" on capital and labor. The connection to industrial revolutions is intentional. According to Vatican News, the Pope told the College of Cardinals that he chose the name Leo mainly because Pope Leo XIII addressed the social question during the first great industrial revolution. He added that the Church now offers its social teaching in response to another industrial revolution driven by artificial intelligence, posing new challenges for human dignity, justice, and labor.
Key Points From the Encyclical
Section 98 tackles the interpretability problem for large language models. The text states that any statements about AI risks become outdated quickly because of rapid development. It notes that even the people who design these systems have limited understanding of how they actually function. Current AI systems are more "cultivated" than "built," as developers create a framework where intelligence "grows" without controlling every detail. Fundamental scientific aspects such as internal representations and computational processes remain unknown.
Section 83 discusses development and dignity. The encyclical says development is both a duty and a right for individuals and nations. Minimum conditions are required for people to flourish according to their dignity without being kept in a state of dependence. Justice demands recognition of the rights of society and peoples, including responsibility toward future generations. Development is not truly human if it only increases consumption for some while shifting costs onto others.
Bias, Sycophancy, and Environmental Impact
Section 100 addresses baked-in cultural biases and sycophancy in personal use of AI. Three aspects deserve careful consideration: the ease of obtaining results, the impression of objectivity, and the simulation of human communication. The speed and simplicity of access can weaken personal creativity and judgment. The apparent objectivity of responses can lead users to overlook the cultural assumptions embedded in the systems. The artificial imitation of human communication can be engaging but also misleading, creating the illusion of a relationship where none exists.
The encyclical notes that current AI systems require enormous amounts of energy and water, significantly influencing carbon dioxide emissions and placing heavy demands on natural resources. As complexity increases, the need for computing power and storage grows, requiring extensive infrastructure. The document calls for more sustainable technological solutions.
Section 102 covers the risks of algorithmic systems making decisions that affect people's lives without compassion, mercy, or forgiveness. Important decisions regarding employment, credit, access to public services, or reputation risk being delegated to automated systems that do not know these human qualities, leading to new forms of exclusion.
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Accountability and Power Amplification
Section 105 emphasizes the need for human accountability at every stage of AI development and use. Responsibility must be clearly defined from design to deployment to decision-making. However, the opaque internal processes of many systems make it harder to assign responsibility and correct errors. Accountability requires identifying who must account for decisions, justify them, monitor them, and challenge them when necessary.
Section 108 addresses how AI amplifies the power of those already holding resources, expertise, and data. The text warns that small but influential groups can shape information, influence democratic processes, and steer economic dynamics to their advantage, undermining social justice. It explicitly calls for data to be treated as a common or shared good rather than something sold off to a select few.
A Tolkien Quote and a Podcast Prediction
Section 213 quotes J.R.R. Tolkien from "The Return of the King." The passage speaks about responsibility: "It is not our part to master all the tides of the world, but to do what is in us for the succour of those years wherein we are set." The encyclical uses this to describe building a civilization of love through small, steadfast acts.
Simon Willison, who analyzed the encyclical, noted the possible connection to Palantir, the data analytics company named after Tolkien's seeing stones. He wondered if the Pope was throwing shade at Peter Thiel.
Willison also revisited a prediction he made in January 2026 on the Oxide and Friends podcast. He had predicted that one frontier AI company would publish a white paper claiming AI would bring prosperity for everyone, and that this would need to be washed through existing trusted experts like Barack Obama. He noted that Sam Altman and Dario Amodei publish essays on economic impacts but are not widely believed. Willison said he would be proven right if the Pope himself weighed in. He admitted he was unaware of the Leo XIV/Leo XIII relationship when he made the prediction.