VATICAN CITY — Pope Leo XIV has established a new Vatican study group on artificial intelligence as the Church prepares to release a major encyclical expected to focus on the ethical use of AI, human dignity, and global peace.
The Vatican said Saturday that the group was created in response to the rapid expansion of AI technology and its “potential effects on human beings and on humanity as a whole,” as well as the Church’s concern for safeguarding human dignity.
The announcement came shortly after the pope signed his first encyclical, released 135 years after Pope Leo XIII’s landmark “Rerum Novarum,” which addressed labor rights and the social impact of the Industrial Revolution. The new document is expected to draw a parallel between that historical transformation and today’s AI-driven technological shift.
Church officials and scholars say the encyclical is likely to frame artificial intelligence within Catholic social teaching, emphasizing labor, justice, peace, and the ethical responsibilities of governments and developers.
The Vatican has increasingly positioned itself as an ethical voice in global AI debates, warning about risks ranging from misinformation and bias to the environmental costs of large-scale computing systems. It has also called for human oversight in the use of AI in critical areas such as warfare, education, and healthcare.
Experts note that the Church’s influence could shape global discussions, particularly given its worldwide reach and long tradition of moral engagement with technological change. The Vatican previously backed initiatives such as the “Rome Call for AI Ethics,” which promoted principles including accountability, inclusiveness, and transparency.
Pope Leo has already cautioned against the misuse of AI within religious practice, including concerns about clergy relying on the technology for sermons. He has also spoken about the broader implications of AI for truth, human relationships, and global conflict, particularly in war zones where automated systems are increasingly used.
The forthcoming encyclical is expected to intensify debate over how governments and technology companies should regulate artificial intelligence at a time when global powers are taking divergent approaches to oversight and development.
