In the era of digital revolution, amidst algorithms and visualisations, the Catholic Church is redefining the boundaries of its social engagement, offering a strong response to the technocratic paradigm. Published today, Monday 25th May, “Magnificent humanity”is the first encyclical of Pope Leo XIV. The document, ideally linked to the legacy of Rerum Novarum by Leo XIII on its 135th anniversary, does not present itself as a technical analysis of artificial intelligence, but rather as a profound ethical “summary” oriented towards the safeguarding of individuals and the human regulation of markets and development.
Throughout the five chapters of the text, the Pope warns global public opinion against the overreach of technological monopolies, reiterating the urgency of a universal ethical code based on social justice and transparency. From the firm condemnation of transhumanism – to which he opposes the intrinsic and relational value of human limitation – to the radical rejection of autonomous weapons and the theory of the “just war”, Leo XIV issues a global appeal for “disarm AI”. The aim is to remove technology from the sole logic of profit, dominion, and military competition, preserving humanity from the atomisation and ecological degradation caused by large digital systems.
