Pope Leo warns AI must be 'disarmed' in first major teaching from Vatican

Pope Leo has called for artificial intelligence to be 'disarmed' in his first encyclical, warning of what he describes as 'new digital slaveries'. The document marks the new pontiff's first major teaching document since taking office last year.

Pope Leo has issued a stark warning about the dangers of artificial intelligence in his first papal encyclical, calling for AI to be 'disarmed' and cautioning humanity against what he termed 'new digital slaveries'. The document, released from the Vatican, represents the new pontiff's first major formal teaching and signals that technology ethics will be a central concern of his papacy.

## A Bold Opening Statement

Encyclicals are among the most significant documents a pope can issue, typically addressing major moral, social, or doctrinal questions facing humanity. By devoting his inaugural encyclical to the topic of artificial intelligence, Pope Leo has made clear that the rapid development of digital technologies ranks among the most pressing ethical challenges of our time.

The phrase 'new digital slaveries' appears to reference concerns about how AI and digital platforms can exploit human attention, labour, and autonomy — reducing individuals to data points or manipulating behaviour at scale. Pope Leo's call to 'disarm' AI suggests a need to strip the technology of its capacity to harm, placing human dignity at the centre of any technological development.

## Church Steps Into the AI Debate

The Catholic Church has previously engaged with questions around AI and technology, but this encyclical elevates the conversation to the highest level of papal authority. It positions the Vatican as an active voice in the global debate over how artificial intelligence should be governed, developed, and constrained. The document is expected to draw significant attention from policymakers, ethicists, and tech industry leaders worldwide.