With AI manifesto, Leo joins pantheon of popes who urged world to change
Pope Leo XIV has issued a manifesto titled "Magnifica Humanitas" urging global leaders to slow down the development of artificial intelligence. This document aligns with a long tradition of papal encyclicals addressing pressing social issues, dating back to Pope Leo XIII's "Rerum Novarum" in 1891. Leo's encyclical emphasizes the moral and ethical implications of AI, warning against misinformation and the potential for conflict.
- ▪Pope Leo XIV's manifesto calls for caution in AI development.
- ▪The encyclical is part of a historical tradition of papal documents addressing social justice.
- ▪Leo warns that AI could lead to misinformation and conflict.
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With AI manifesto, Leo joins pantheon of popes who urged world to changeSign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inboxPublished May 25, 2026, 11:04 PMUpdated May 25, 2026, 11:04 PMVATICAN CITY, May 25 - Catholic popes have been urging global leaders to address social justice issues for 135 years across some two dozen major documents that many of the world's 1.4-billion-faithful can cite by their two- or three-word titles."Rerum Novarum" from Leo XIII in 1891 called for better conditions for workers in the Industrial Revolution. "Pacem in Terris" from John XXIII in 1963 appealed for nuclear disarmament amid the Cold War.
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Excerpt limited to ~120 words for fair-use compliance. The full article is at Straits Times — World.