The Pope Is Now the World’s Most Famous Humanist
Pope Leo XIV's encyclical, Magnifica Humanitas, addresses the dehumanizing effects of artificial intelligence. He emphasizes the importance of recognizing and preserving human fallibility as a vital aspect of humanity. The pope argues against passivity in the face of technological advancement, urging society to actively engage with the ethical implications of AI.
- ▪Pope Leo XIV released his encyclical on the anniversary of a previous Pope Leo's treatise on industrialization.
- ▪He identifies AI as a threat to human dignity and emphasizes the need to appreciate what it means to be human.
- ▪The pope argues that humanity's limitations are essential to its uniqueness and should be protected.
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CultureThe Pope Is Now the World’s Most Famous HumanistLeo XIV’s encyclical about artificial intelligence makes a strong argument in favor of human fallibility.By Gal BeckermanAlberto Pizzoli / AFP / GettyMay 27, 2026, 8 AM ET ShareSave Does the pope have an editor? If I could presume to take on this role for a second, then I might have one little note for Leo XIV after reading his new encyclical about artificial intelligence: Great stuff, but lose the Tower of Babel. It’s a tired cliché. Most of us have already been told that those who would seek to be like God will see their ambitions crash to the ground. And in this instance, the lesson has a limited audience. Sam Altman, Elon Musk, and the rest of the tower builders should have an image of the tower tattooed on their chest.
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