The Vatican has witnessed an unprecedented event in the history of the contemporary Church: for the first time, a Pope has personally attended the presentation of his own encyclical. Breaking with tradition, Pope Leo XIV has presented Magnifica Humanitas to the international community, an encyclical letter conceived not in the isolation of the Holy See’s offices, but rather after a year of actively listening to political leaders, scientists, parents, and even the giants of Silicon Valley.
Leo XIV’s thesis is as clear as it is forceful: Artificial Intelligence is not inherently evil, but neither is it a panacea, and under no circumstances is it neutral. In a world where digital tools tend to concentrate in the hands of those who wield power and capital, the Pope has issued a stern warning, coining an expression that is already resonating strongly in global circles: “Artificial Intelligence must be disarmed ,” stripping it of the structures that currently generate exclusion, inequality in the labor market, and a subtle but relentless social dominance.
War algorithms and the end of “just war”
One of the most dramatic and urgent passages of the encyclical directly addresses the automation of armed conflicts. Faced with the rise of autonomously managed weapons, which absolve leaders of human responsibility for death, the Pope has been unequivocal: “No algorithm can justify war . ”
In evolving the Church’s teaching, Leo XIV called for a departure from the classical concept of “just war.” While maintaining the inalienable right to self-defense against aggression, the Pope warned that this theological category has been instrumentalized throughout history as a pretext for invasion and attack. In the age of hyperconnectivity, the Pontiff called for the use of higher tools, more inherent to human nature: multilateralism, diplomacy, forgiveness, and reconciliation.
“Do we want to build a new Babel or a new Jerusalem?” the Pope asks, inviting us to choose between the chaos of technological dehumanization or a global community where everyone’s rights are recognized.
A historic “Mea Culpa” and the defense of minorities
Magnificent Humanity does not shy away from the dark corners of history or the present day. In addressing how technology can foster “new forms of slavery,” Leo XIV has taken a significant step toward institutional self-criticism, explicitly apologizing for the historical backwardness with which the Catholic Church addressed and condemned slavery in past centuries.
Likewise, the document clearly raises its voice in favor of the sanctity of life —from conception to its natural end— and of the most vulnerable sectors:
- The world of work: It demands that technology serve the worker and not destroy the jobs of millions of people.
- Minorities and women: Denounce the algorithmic biases that perpetuate discrimination against minorities and firmly demand that the voice and role of women be fully recognized in all areas of society.
The spirit of Leo XIII and the Spanish horizon
The date chosen for the signing of the document was not accidental. It was signed on May 15, coinciding exactly with the 135th anniversary of Leo XIII’s Rerum Novarum , the encyclical that inaugurated the Social Doctrine of the Church. By assuming the name Leo XIV, the current Pontiff was already announcing his roadmap: the world’s problems evolve, but the urgency of social justice and the centrality of the human person remain unchanged. Technology must generate well-being, not fuel economic profit that tramples on dignity.
The presentation of this historic text marks the high point of his pontificate, just twelve days before Leo XIV embarks on his long-awaited official trip to Spain, where he will visit Madrid, Barcelona and the Canary Islands; an event in which, without a doubt, the echoes of this Magnificent Humanity will resonate strongly in the European public debate.