One year after his appointment as the Sovereign Pontiff, Head of the Vatican State and of the Roman Catholic Church, Pope Leo XIV signed and published his first Encyclical Letter, entitled,Magnifica Humanitas—On the Protection of the Human Person in the Age of Artificial Intelligence, on 15 May 2026. This is a particularly symbolic date and subject, coming on 135 years after the publication of Pope Leo XIII’s encyclical Rerum Novarum at the height of the Industrial Revolution in the late 19th century — a societal transformation comparable to that currently being experienced by humanity in relation to the digital revolution and the exponential increase of artificial intelligence across all sectors of society.

On this occasion, the Dicastery for the Promotion of Integral Human Development organised the launch event on May 25, 2026, to present the encyclical in the Synod Hall of the Holy See. Accompanying the Holy Father on the panel of speakers were Cardinal Víctor Manuel Fernández, Prefect of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith; Cardinal Michael Czerny, Prefect of the Dicastery for the Promotion of Integral Human Development; Christopher Olah, co-founder of Anthropic AI; Dr Anna Rowlands, theologian and professor of Catholic Social Thought and Practice at Durham University; and Dr Leocadie Lushombo, associate professor of theological ethics at the Jesuit School of Theology of Santa Clara University. Following the structure of the encyclical, the participants discussed the foundations of the Church’s social teaching and the application of these principles to the new challenges of the contemporary world.

Following these speeches, His holiness, Pope Leo XIV, delivered a powerful message saying, “Artificial Intelligence needs to be disarmed (...) freed from logics that turn it into an instrument of domination, exclusion and death (...) it must be at the service of all, and of the common good”[1].

Pope Leo XIV acknowledged that AI is a powerful tool offering significant benefits, particularly in the medical sector. However, he placed particular emphasis on the need for caution and regulation of its use, as AI poses major risks to present and future societies, notably through its instrumentalization — “practically beyond any human reach to govern it effectively”[DA1][2] — in wars and armed conflicts and through its impact on the development of critical thinking in young people and future generations. He points out that, “when technology weakens our critical sense, peace itself is at risk”[3].

He also highlighted the “prejudices and injustice”[4]that are amplified through the use of AI, emphasising the importance of preserving human dignity, which is threatened by the gradual replacement of the human workforce, leaving people unemployed, as well as the socio-environmental impact of data storage, cooling, and processing infrastructures on local and already vulnerable communities.

Finally, he called for discernment, stating that, “decisions about technology must never be separated from consciousness and responsibility”[5].

Photo gallery by Maya Lelièvre

In this sense, the work of the Social Justice and Ecology Secretariat (SJES) is fully aligned with these efforts to promote the preservation of human dignity and social justice in the face of changing socio-economic and political systems, as well as the multiple crises that societies have faced in recent decades. The Global Ignatian Advocacy Network (GIAN) is particularly committed to coordinating advocacy action within its initiatives to strengthen awareness and support communities, particularly ones affected by the infrastructures related to AI.

The GIAN Justice in Mining initiative is particularly concerned by these issues, as the digital expansion and data centres required for AI to function entail increased mineral extraction. However, these extractive operations have a colossal impact on the surrounding environments—affecting the soil, water, and air quality—and on the communities originally living in these areas, whose health and living conditions are significantly degraded. Some of these communities, particularly in the Global South, are forced to leave their lands and migrate in order to ensure their survival. Conversely, the GIAN Forced Migration initiative advocates on behalf of these displaced populations, many of whom are then deprived of their rights and dignity on their journeys. Furthermore, the GIAN Integral Ecology initiative is involved in this mission through the "Jesuits for Climate Justice" campaign work (JCJC), through which the Society of Jesus is preparing for its participation in COP31 (beginning in two weeks’ time at the SB64 meeting in Bonn, Germany) and is collaborating with many other organisations in the fight for climate justice. The GIAN Right to Education initiative is a key partner in this work, as it brings the voices of both young people and rural communities to the forefront of our communications efforts for the JCJC campaign.

Finally, starting next July, the weekly series of articles that will make up volume 139 of Promotio Iustitiae will be devoted to the impact of artificial intelligence on social justice and the environment in key intersectional areas. which will provide the opportunity to deepen these issues, including testimonies, theological reflections and opinions of experts in the field.

The full presentation and letter are available at:

_{[1] Presentation of Encyclical Letter Magnifica humanitas, May 25, 2026 – Pope Leo XIV (1 h 37 min 02 sec)
https://youtu.be/JxcXcP6NyRM?si=2o5Jd04JBx5KR0Yl
[2] Presentation of Encyclical Letter Magnifica humanitas, May 25, 2026 – Pope Leo XIV (1 h 36 min 23 sec)
https://youtu.be/JxcXcP6NyRM?si=2o5Jd04JBx5KR0Yl
[3] Presentation of Encyclical Letter Magnifica humanitas, May 25, 2026 – Pope Leo XIV (1 h 38 min 26 sec)
https://youtu.be/JxcXcP6NyRM?si=2o5Jd04JBx5KR0Yl
[4] Presentation of Encyclical Letter Magnifica humanitas, May 25, 2026 – Pope Leo XIV (1 h 36 min 37 sec)
https://youtu.be/JxcXcP6NyRM?si=2o5Jd04JBx5KR0Yl
[5] Presentation of Encyclical Letter Magnifica humanitas, May 25, 2026 – Pope Leo XIV (1 h 38 min 01 sec)
https://youtu.be/JxcXcP6NyRM?si=2o5Jd04JBx5KR0Yl}