Pope on AI

Pope Leo XIV has called for stronger regulation and a slower pace of AI advances, warning that the technology is fueling and normalizing conflict around the world. In his first encyclical, titled 'Magnifica Humanitas', the Pope argued that AI should not be concentrated in the hands of a few people and that it is not enough to simply regulate it. He also warned that the economic gains from AI are being concentrated in the hands of a limited few, while workers behind the technology remain hidden from view. The Pope's encyclical was presented at the Vatican alongside AI experts, including the co-founder of US firm Anthropic. The document marks a major early intervention in Leo's papacy, with the Vatican positioning AI ethics as a defining issue for the Catholic Church. The Pope's warnings about AI come as governments and technology companies race to expand AI systems, which are expected to become a $4.8 trillion industry by 2033. The Pope's call for a slower pace of AI advances and stronger regulation has been seen as a challenge to the tech industry and governments, which are pushing to develop and deploy AI systems as quickly as possible. The encyclical has also been seen as a critique of the use of AI in military operations and surveillance systems, with the Pope arguing that it is not permissible to entrust lethal decisions to technology.