Pope Leo XIV’s inaugural encyclical, *Magnifica Humanitas*, addresses the growing challenges artificial intelligence (AI) poses to fundamental aspects of humanity, particularly from a Christian theological perspective. Central to the encyclical is the reaffirmation of the incarnation of Christ, emphasizing mankind’s unique position in the divine order, a status AI, the Pope argues, now threatens.

The Pope highlights concerns about AI’s impact on human dignity, warning that the commodification and control of personal data through AI systems risk creating new forms of modern slavery. He asserts that managing AI development and deployment demands more than good intentions or the ethical considerations of its creators. Instead, he calls for comprehensive and enforceable legal frameworks accompanied by independent oversight mechanisms. According to the Pope, accountability must rest with individuals, not technology, ensuring human responsibility wherever AI decisions affect critical areas such as access to loans, employment, healthcare, or education.

The encyclical takes aim at the dominance of a few powerful technology companies, likening their influence to a “new electronic Curia” and urging regulation over unregulated control. The Pope even advocates for measured restraint, suggesting courage in slowing the rapid advances of AI to allow societies time to adapt responsibly.

The document underscores a fundamental tension between the rapid pace of AI innovation and the deliberate process of lawmaking. Legislatures operate on the basis of democratic consent, which inherently requires time for debate, consultation, and public agreement—processes that cannot keep pace with the swift iterative development cycles typical of AI technologies. The Pope notes that while mathematics and theoretical advances cannot be legislated against, laws can govern their application and the accountability structures surrounding AI’s use.

This temporal gap is not new. Historically, technological revolutions—from the printing press to telegraphy—have long outpaced legislative response. More recently, the European Union’s prolonged efforts on the Artificial Intelligence Act and the UK’s Online Safety Act reflect the continued challenge of legislating effectively amid rapidly evolving technology, often resulting in laws that lag behind emerging harms.

The Pope’s encyclical draws a contrast between democratic governance—characterized by slow, inclusive, deliberative processes—and authoritarian regimes, which may legislate AI swiftly but without transparency or truth, compromising the integrity of their systems. He suggests that despite frustrations with the slow pace of Western democracies, the discipline of deliberation and consent preserves societal values and legitimacy.

Recognizing the limitations of law alone, the Pope invokes the biblical figure Nehemiah, who rebuilt Jerusalem’s walls not by command but through mobilizing collective effort and shared purpose. He posits that addressing AI’s ethical and social challenges requires more than rules—it demands moral leadership and broad communal commitment.

Ultimately, Pope Leo XIV challenges global leaders—political, technological, and spiritual—to collaborate in establishing a framework that protects human dignity and navigates the profound transformations AI introduces. In the absence of swift legislative solutions, he positions the papacy as a potential unifying moral authority capable of inspiring the shared responsibility necessary to meet these challenges.