Pope Leo warns AI shouldn’t concentrate power

In his first papal encyclical, Pope Leo XIV argues that AI systems imitate human functions rather than possess understanding, and he presses for regulation to prevent technological power from concentrating further—along with protections for workers, young peop

When Pope Leo XIV walked into his first papal encyclical, he didn’t lead with a tech fantasy. He led with a warning: a common way of talking about AI risks turning imitation into something it isn’t.

On Monday. Leo released his first papal encyclical—an almost 400-year-old tradition in which the Catholic Church shares its perspective on an issue. In the English version, the text runs for about 42,300 words. The Pope’s central point is blunt: he warned of “the misconception of equating this type of ‘intelligence’ with that of human beings.”.

Leo said these systems “merely imitate certain functions of human intelligence.” He added that they can often surpass people in speed and computational capacity. bringing “tangible benefits across many fields.” But the praise has limits. “So-called artificial intelligences do not undergo experiences, do not possess a body, do not feel joy or pain,” Leo wrote. They do not mature through relationships and do not “know from within what love, work, friendship or responsibility mean.”.

He continued that these systems also lack a moral conscience. They do not judge good and evil, grasp the ultimate meaning of situations, or bear responsibility for consequences. They may imitate language. behavior. and analytical skills. and even “simulate empathy and understanding. ” the Pope wrote—but “they do not understand what they produce. ” because they lack “the affective. relational and spiritual perspective through which human beings grow in wisdom.”.

The remarks were presented alongside Anthropic co-founder Christopher Olah, tying the Vatican’s critique directly to the people building today’s major AI models.

Leo’s worry then shifts from what AI can do to what society might allow it to become. He said it’s necessary to “establish adequate regulatory tools capable of upholding justice and curbing the distorting effects of technological power.” He emphasized that wealth is already concentrated in the hands of very few people. and he argued that governments must ensure it doesn’t become even more concentrated.

The Pope also laid out a sharp boundary for the future of warfare. Leaders, he said, must ensure that humans—rather than AI—make all decisions related to weapons.

The encyclical goes beyond regulation to the everyday vulnerability of people growing up with these tools. Leo called for “an educational alliance for the digital age. ” aimed at teaching young people to think critically about AI. while guarding against “apathy for seeking the truth.” He urged that regulations protect young people against “violent or degrading” AI-generated content. along with grooming and sexual exploitation.

Work, too, is in the Pope’s frame. He warned that technology—and any profits attached to it—shouldn’t be used to justify systematic job loss. He encouraged retraining and employment protections for workers whose jobs are at risk due to AI.

Even as he criticizes the way AI is described and deployed, Leo did not argue that AI is inherently anti-human. He said it shouldn’t be seen “as a force antagonistic to humanity,” and he added that if it is “carefully managed,” it could “open up a horizon extending in all directions.”

That measured stance echoes the Vatican’s recent experimentation. In February, the Vatican teamed up with language service provider Translated to offer AI-powered live translations to Holy Mass attendees.

Pope Leo XIV papal encyclical AI regulation Anthropic Christopher Olah Vatican weapon decisions AI-generated content job loss retraining digital education