Pope Leo XIV has released his first encyclical, Magnifica Humanitas (Magnificent Humanity), focusing on safeguarding the human person in the age of artificial intelligence (AI). This initial commentary offers provisional reflections after a quick reading; a more thorough study is planned. The hope is to encourage readers to engage with the document itself.
Why the Name Leo?
Speculation about why Robert Prevost chose the name Leo has been confirmed. The last pope with that name was Leo XIII, who faced the oppressive conditions of workers during the Industrial Revolution and wrote Rerum Novarum. Pope Leo XIV explicitly calls technological advances like AI the 'new thing' of our times, drawing a parallel to the societal challenges of the 19th century.
Bane or Boon? Biblical Images
The encyclical uses two biblical images to answer whether AI serves the common good. The Tower of Babel represents technology used for selfish ends, without reference to God, leading to confusion. In contrast, Nehemiah rebuilding Jerusalem symbolizes a human project with God's blessing, focusing on community before structures. Pope Leo emphasizes that AI is not inherently evil but can advance human welfare if guided by divine principles.
Description of AI
Pope Leo describes AI as systems that imitate certain functions of human intelligence, surpassing it in speed and computational capacity. However, he notes they do not undergo experiences, possess a body, feel emotions, or understand love, work, friendship, or responsibility. The crucial question is: who controls or dictates AI?
Responsibility and Moral Neutrality
The encyclical stresses that AI is not morally neutral. Responsibility is required at every stage, from designers to users. AI can be a tool for dialogue but also for constructing distorted narratives and blurring truth and falsehood—a warning relevant to political news.
A Professor's Perspective
As an educator, I am not anti-technology and acknowledge AI's benefits, such as instant access to information. However, AI has transformed teaching. Some students produce perfectly constructed sentences that seem beyond their ability, revealing AI's use. This underscores the need for ethical integration in education.
