Pope Leo's AI Manifesto

“A new pope's first encyclical is always news, and Pope Leo XIV obliged on Monday with a nearly 43,000-word effort warning about artificial intelligence. It's amusing to watch the same press that disparages the Catholic Church's teachings on abortion and gender identity treat these new papal musings as, well, gospel because they conform to its ideology.

 

The pope shepherds a flock of some 1.4 billion global Catholics, so his words naturally command attention and interest. But it's important to remember that Catholic theology considers the Pope to be infallible only when he expounds Church dogma, not when he opines on secular matters, as he does in his new encyclical "Magnifica Humanitas."

 

The encyclical is in many ways an attempt to protect and defend the dignity of humanity, and in that sense is welcome. Some of what he writes is hard to dispute, such as that AI has "harmful uses, such as the manipulation of information or violations of privacy."

 

"There is also a subtler danger," he writes, of AI "reflecting and reinforcing the stereotypes or ideological bias of their designers and developers." We've reported on the leftwing bias of some models such as Google's Gemini. He also warns about the dangers of smartphones and social media for young people.

 

His emphasis on the value of work to character development is also welcome amid the growing chants for expanding welfare: "Work is not simply an instrument; it expresses and enhances the dignity of our lives."

 

Also welcome is a warning about a "crisis of truth." Citing John Paul II, he writes that "'once the idea of a universal truth about the good, knowable by human reason, is lost, inevitably the notion of conscience also changes,'" and "people believe that they can construct reality, and that whatever best suits their claims corresponds to what is true." He didn't cite examples, but one is the claim that there are 72 genders.

 

When it comes to AI, his encyclical mostly recites the most pessimistic prophecies. He largely dismisses AI's potential benefits, such as faster and less expensive drug development and medical cures. His call for more government regulation of AI echoes opponents of capitalism like Sen. Bernie Sanders and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.

 

"AI tends to amplify the power of those who already possess economic resources, expertise and access to data," the pope writes. "'While AI promises to boost productivity by taking over mundane tasks, it frequently forces workers to adapt to the speed and demands of machines.' More than ever, in the age of AI and robotics, it is no longer possible to rely solely on the 'invisible hand' of the market."

 

We've been around a while and don't recall when anyone relied "solely" on the free market. Western governments now snatch as much as half of GDP and regulate nearly every part of business life.

 

Technology invariably requires workers to adapt, often with considerable disruption to the status quo. But it also eases their yoke over the long haul. Throughout history the diffusion of technology has democratized information and improved living standards, especially for the poor. The internet and social media have enabled people living under repressive regimes to share information, which is why Iran's regime has cut them off for weeks.

 

"Every introduction of automation and AI should be accompanied by verifiable measures to protect the employment, retraining and participation of workers," Pope Leo writes. He calls for regulation of algorithms that "influence credit distribution, personnel selection or access to services and opportunities" and "measures to ensure equity: taxation, social protection and industrial policies."

 

Amen, nods AOC. While AI isn't without risk, government control is likely to result in an even greater concentration of power. Regulation tends to protect incumbents and retard competition. Repressive regimes can also use AI to suppress dissent, as China's Communist Party uses AI to surveil and censor its people.

 

Most fanciful is the pope's claim that the mandarins at the United Nations should be entrusted with overseeing AI. He says they "are essential instruments for promoting a civilization of love, for they can foster dialogue among nations and promote the peaceful resolution of conflicts." This is truly the triumph of hope over experience.

 

There's no doubt that as AI develops it will need an ethical rudder, and the pope's contributions are worth listening to. But his faith in a beneficent state is misplaced.” [1]

 

1. Pope Leo's AI Manifesto. Wall Street Journal, Eastern edition; New York, N.Y.. 28 May 2026: A14.