Pope Leo XIV released a sweeping encyclical on Sunday calling for robust regulation of artificial intelligence, warning that unchecked AI development poses serious risks to humanity. The document, titled 'Magnifica Humanitas,' represents the Vatican's most comprehensive statement yet on the ethical and societal implications of AI technology.

In the encyclical, Pope Leo urges world governments and international bodies to establish meaningful oversight frameworks for AI systems, arguing that the technology's rapid advancement outpaces current regulatory structures. The Pope frames the issue as one of fundamental human dignity, warning that AI could deepen inequality, erode privacy, and be weaponized in armed conflict if left ungoverned.

The document also addresses AI's potential role in warfare, echoing concerns raised by arms control advocates about autonomous weapons systems. Pope Leo calls on nations to prohibit the use of AI in systems that can make lethal decisions without meaningful human oversight, a position that aligns with longstanding Vatican teachings on the ethics of armed conflict.

While affirming that technology itself is not inherently harmful, the encyclical stresses that innovation must serve human flourishing rather than undermine it. The Pope acknowledges AI's potential benefits in medicine, education, and economic development, but insists these gains must be distributed equitably and governed transparently.

The release of 'Magnifica Humanitas' places the Catholic Church at the center of a growing global debate over AI governance. World leaders, technology companies, and civil society organizations have increasingly called for international frameworks to manage AI risk, and the Vatican's intervention adds a prominent moral voice to those calls.