Pope Leo XIV will issue his first major text as pontiff, an encyclical addressing the rapid rise of artificial intelligence. The document, titled Magnifica Humanitas, or Magnificent Humanity, will be presented on May 25 at the Vatican during a public event attended by Christopher Olah, co-founder and head of research on AI interpretability at Anthropic.
Key Takeaways
Pope Leo XIV will release his first encyclical, 'Magnifica Humanitas', addressing artificial intelligence on May 25 at the Vatican. The document focuses on human dignity and AI's impact on workers' rights and warfare. Christopher Olah of Anthropic will attend, suggesting potential tensions with the Trump administration over AI ethics.
- Pope Leo to present first encyclical on AI and human dignity
- Event features Anthropic co-founder Christopher Olah
- Encyclical addresses workers' rights and AI in warfare
- Document signed 135 years after similar papal text on Industrial Revolution
- Presence of AI executive may spark conflict with Trump administration
The encyclical will address “the protection of the human person in the age of artificial intelligence,” according to multiple reports. In a break from tradition, Pope Leo, who was elected pontiff in May last year, will personally launch the document during the presentation. He will be joined by lay speaker Olah and theologians Anna Rowlands and Léocadie Lushombo.
Encyclicals are one of the highest forms of teaching from a pope to the Catholic Church’s 1.4 billion members. Pope Leo is expected to consider how AI affects workers' rights while lamenting its use in warfare, as reported by The Guardian. The Vatican said Leo signed the document on May 15, 135 years after his namesake, Pope Leo XIII, signed his most significant encyclical addressing the Industrial Revolution and workers’ rights.
Anthropic has been involved in a high-profile lawsuit with the Trump administration over AI ethics. The presence of Olah at the Vatican event suggests that Pope Leo's position on AI will become a new flashpoint with the Trump administration, per PBS. The pontiff’s attendance at the launch is significant as such presentations are usually conducted by cardinals and press officials.
The Vatican recently created a study group on AI and its use. According to UPI, Pope Leo has frequently mentioned AI since his election, stating that 'the church offers... social teaching in response to another industrial revolution and developments in artificial intelligence.' Anthropic has also engaged Christian religious leaders this year to discuss the ethical development of their AI chatbot, Claude.
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