The Vatican moved to stake a larger role in setting global rules for artificial intelligence, forming an internal study group as Pope Leo XIV prepares his first encyclical—an ethics-focused document expected to place AI within the Church’s longstanding social teaching on labor, justice and peace. The initiative, announced alongside news that the pope has signed the letter, echoes Pope Leo XIII’s Rerum Novarum during the Industrial Revolution and underscores Rome’s view that AI raises comparable questions about human dignity and the social order.
The Vatican’s push comes amid a fragmented regulatory landscape. The European Union has adopted a risk-based AI Act, and the United Nations backed a governance framework, while the United States under the Trump administration has prioritized rapid deployment and rejected binding international curbs. Leo’s appeal for human-centered AI and a ban on lethal autonomous weapons contrasts with Washington’s industry-first approach and sets up potential friction as U.S. officials court chipmakers and platform leaders for China-facing business.
Beyond geopolitics, the Holy See is pressing concerns over deepfakes, labor displacement, and the environmental footprint of AI infrastructure, while urging that AI augment rather than replace human judgment in domains from health care to education. With 1.5 billion Catholics and a developed body of moral doctrine, Church officials aim to inject ethical guardrails into a race dominated by technical and commercial interests.
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