Pope Leo XIV today released his first encyclical, Magnifica Humanitas, on safeguarding the human person in the time of artificial intelligence.
It is available to read in its entirety in English here. It is also currently available in Arabic, German, Spanish, French, Italian, Polish and Portuguese.
The 40,000-word document is broken down into five different chapters and uses the Biblical story of the Tower of Babel to offer wisdom on AI in our society.
In introducing and sharing the encyclical on social media, Pope Leo XIV posted on X saying that we must avoid building a modern Tower of Babel, echoing language from the first paragraph of Magnifica Humanitas.
“Humanity, created by God in all its grandeur, is today facing a pivotal choice: either to construct a new Tower of Babel or to build the city in which God and humanity dwell together,” he said. “In Jesus Christ, this humanity in its grandeur becomes the Way, the Truth and the Life, opening the path for each of us to grow toward fullness.”
Pope Leo goes on to explore a concept he calls “Babel syndrome,” which he describes as “the idolatry of profit that sacrifices the weak, a uniformity that neutralizes differences, and the pretense that a single language — even a digital one — can translate everything, including the mystery of the person, into data and performance.”
In Magnifica Humanitas, Pope Leo also makes reference to Pope Leo XIII’s 1891 encyclical, Rerum Novarum, which gave the impetus for the Social Doctrine of the Church and its “legacy of wisdom, where we find principles for thought, criteria for discernment and judgment, and concrete guidelines for action.”
Though he released the document on May 25, Pope Leo formally signed Magnifica Humanitas on May 15, the 135th anniversary of Rerum Novarum. The Vatican released video of Pope Leo officially signing the document.
Pope Leo XIV draws the parallel between Rerum Novarum’s response to the industrial revolution and Magnifica Humanitas’ response towards the AI revolution, which Pope Leo XIV believes could be an even larger transformation.
“Today, we find ourselves facing a transformation of similar magnitude, with perhaps even greater consequences. Artificial intelligence already touches many areas of our lives and affects decisions that shape human coexistence,” said Pope Leo in the Monday presentation of Magnifica Humanitas from New Synod Hall.
“It is also dramatically changing how war is waged. Like the earlier Leo, I feel entrusted to look upon another huge transformation with eyes of faith, with lucidity of reason, with openness to mystery and with cries of the poor and the earth resounding in my heart.”
Additionally, recalling the first words he shared when he was elected in 2025, Pope Leo reiterated the importance of praying for peace.
“‘Peace be with you! It is the peace of the risen Christ. A peace that is unarmed and disarming, humble and persevering.’ With these words, I greeted the Church and the world on the day of my election to the See of Peter. I wish to repeat them now, and to invite everyone to pray for this gift. Let us never tire of praying for peace and of committing ourselves to achieving it in our relationships and in society.”
On Hallow, you can pray with Pope Leo XIV, for peace and other important intentions, by joining him in his monthly prayer intentions.
The video sessions, released each month, come from the Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network and in past months have lifted up intentions like children with incurable diseases, peace and disarmament, priests in crisis and those without food.
Full text of Pope Leo’s presentation and promulgation of Magnifica Humanitas is available here.