Pope Leo XIV’s first encyclical, Magnifica Humanitas, challenges Catholics — and the world — to think carefully about how artificial intelligence is reshaping human life.
Catholic leaders across the Archdiocese of Baltimore and beyond say the message is clear: technology must always serve people, not the other way around.
Why it matters
Artificial intelligence is already changing the way people work, learn, and connect with one another — and the changes are happening fast.
Unlike past church documents that reflected on social upheaval after the fact, Pope Leo XIV stepped into the conversation while it is still unfolding.
That makes Magnifica Humanitas something different: a moral framework for a revolution already in progress.
For Catholics and non-Catholics alike, the encyclical raises urgent questions about who benefits from AI, who gets left behind and what it means to be human in a world increasingly shaped by machines.
Pope Leo XIV addresses AI in real time
Pope Leo XIV released Magnifica Humanitas — translated as “Magnificent Humanity” — on May 25. The more-than-80-page document is his first encyclical and focuses on the opportunities and challenges that artificial intelligence presents to human dignity and the common good.
What sets it apart from many landmark church documents is its timing. Rather than looking back on a technological transformation after the fact, the pope is asking Catholics to engage with AI while its effects on education, work and human relationships are still taking shape.
Theologians and church leaders in the Archdiocese of Baltimore have been closely following the encyclical’s release and say its central message is straightforward: technology must always serve the human person, never the other way around.
Biblical roots of a modern question
The encyclical opens with a reflection on two biblical stories — the construction of the Tower of Babel in Genesis and the rebuilding of Jerusalem’s walls in the Book of Nehemiah. The pope uses these contrasting images to frame the choice humanity faces with AI: build for self-glorification and power, or build together for the common good.
It is a timeless tension applied to a very modern problem. One story ends in collapse and division. The other ends in community and restoration. Pope Leo XIV is essentially asking which story humanity wants to tell about its relationship with technology.
What church leaders are saying
Catholic leaders have welcomed the encyclical and say its message resonates at the local level.
Pastors point to the pope’s concern that society may be trading human connection for productivity — a warning that feels especially relevant as AI becomes woven into everyday tools and decision-making processes in ways many people do not even notice.
Archbishop William E. Lori echoed the encyclical’s themes in a letter to archdiocesan parishioners, drawing on the work of Catholic philosopher and theologian Bernard Lonergan. The archbishop emphasized that intelligence alone is not wisdom, and that a machine — no matter how sophisticated — cannot love, sacrifice or engage in the kind of moral and spiritual reasoning that defines authentic human knowing. The greatest challenge posed by AI, he wrote, is not technological. It is spiritual.
Archbishop Lori also made clear the church does not approach AI from a place of fear. He referenced the Maryland bishops’ pastoral letter, “The Face of Christ in a Digital Age,” which affirms that AI can be a powerful tool for good when directed toward the common good — but must never diminish or replace human dignity.
AI in Catholic schools
Catholic schools in the Archdiocese of Baltimore are already navigating the practical questions the encyclical raises.
The archdiocese has embraced the responsible and ethical use of AI as a tool to help students become thoughtful learners and global citizens grounded in faith. School leaders are guided by Catholic social teaching, the Maryland Catholic Conference’s principles on artificial intelligence and Pope Leo XIV’s call to ensure that emerging technologies serve human dignity.
At the same time, archdiocesan leaders are clear that generative AI can never replace the relationships, moral formation, critical thinking and human judgment that sit at the heart of a Catholic education. Schools are working to develop policies and practices that uphold human dignity, support rather than replace human labor and promote the common good.
The challenge is real. AI is already embedded in many of the tools students use daily, and educators at every level are still working out how to respond.
A sophisticated tool — but not a person
Theologians are careful to acknowledge that AI is genuinely impressive. It can imitate human language with remarkable effectiveness, making interactions feel natural and even personal. But that sophistication can also be misleading.
The encyclical is clear: AI is a tool. It is not a person. It cannot form real friendships, experience genuine emotion or replace the irreplaceable qualities of human relationship. The danger lies not in the technology itself but in forgetting that distinction.
Pope Leo XIV also raises concerns about AI’s broader impact on employment, education and the environment — areas where the consequences of unchecked technological development could be severe, especially for the most vulnerable.
A moral framework for policymakers, too
The encyclical’s reach extends beyond the church. Observers with ties to both Washington and the Vatican note that the moral framework Pope Leo XIV offers has direct relevance for AI policy in the United States and around the world.
The document warns that scientific and technological progress, when disconnected from moral and social responsibility, ultimately turns against humanity. It cautions against a world in which people are valued primarily for their efficiency rather than their dignity. It also raises alarms about data collection, algorithmic surveillance and the concentration of technological power in the hands of a few.
At the same time, the encyclical is not anti-technology. It recognizes AI’s genuine potential to heal, connect, educate and protect. The question is not whether to use these tools, but how — and in service of whom.
Pope Leo XIV closes with a call to action: abandon the impulse to build another Tower of Babel and instead work together to build a world where every person, especially the poor, the sick and the marginalized, has a place.
Key points
- Pope Leo XIV released Magnifica Humanitas on May 25, making it his first encyclical as pope. It addresses the opportunities and challenges of artificial intelligence.
- The document’s central message: Technology must always serve human dignity and the common good — never the other way around.
- The encyclical is unusually timely. Rather than reflecting on a transformation that has already happened, the pope is engaging with AI while its effects are still unfolding.
- Two biblical stories frame the document — the Tower of Babel and the rebuilding of Jerusalem’s walls — representing humanity’s choice between self-serving ambition and communal responsibility.
- Catholic leaders in Baltimore have embraced the encyclical’s themes and are applying them in parishes and schools.
- Archbishop Lori called the challenge spiritual, not technological, noting that machines cannot love, sacrifice or engage in moral reasoning.
- Catholic schools in the archdiocese are developing AI policies rooted in Catholic social teaching that prioritize human dignity over technological convenience.
- The encyclical has political relevance beyond the church, offering a moral vocabulary for democratic nations navigating AI competition with authoritarian governments.
- Pope Leo XIV is not anti-technology. He recognizes AI’s potential for good but insists it must be governed by conscience, wisdom and a commitment to human flourishing.
Our discussion
Christopher White, a senior fellow at Georgetown University and former Vatican correspondent, joins me on the latest episode of Politics & Power.
We talk about Pope Leo trying to establish a moral framework for the use of artificial intelligence, the reaction from church leaders and the impact AI can have on societal norms.
Watch live at 10:30 a.m. on News4JAX+ or catch up on demand any time on News4JAX+, News4JAX.com or our YouTube channel.