Pope Leo Is Challenging Much More Than Big Tech
Pope Leo XIV's encyclical, "Magnifica Humanitas," addresses the implications of artificial intelligence beyond just Big Tech. He emphasizes the need for ethical considerations in technology and highlights the human cost associated with AI development. The pope calls for a collective responsibility to build a more humane society, urging readers to recognize their complicity in the existing challenges.
- ▪Pope Leo XIV's encyclical critiques the dangers of artificial intelligence and its impact on humanity.
- ▪He argues that technology exacerbates existing inequalities and calls for sustainable solutions.
- ▪The encyclical emphasizes the moral responsibility of individuals to address the human costs of technological advancement.
Opening excerpt (first ~120 words) tap to expand
IdeasPope Leo Is Challenging Much More Than Big TechMany admirers of his new encyclical have misidentified its main target.By Randy BoyagodaFranco Origlia / GettyMay 30, 2026, 8 AM ET ShareSave Magnifica Humanitas, Pope Leo XIV’s new encyclical “on safeguarding the human person in the time of artificial intelligence,” has received widespread praise. This isn’t surprising. A popular and learned world leader with a significant degree of moral authority is pointing out the dangers of a deeply unpopular technology created by deeply unpopular people.The laudatory coverage of the encyclical is justified, but it has obscured perhaps Leo’s most important insight. Magnifica Humanitas (“Magnificent Humanity”) is not only—or even mostly—about AI itself.
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