Pope Leo XIV AI A Pontificate For The Digital Age

Pope Leo XIV is prioritizing artificial intelligence early in his papacy, drawing parallels to Leo XIII and the Industrial Revolution. This post explores his concerns and intended approach to humanize AI's societal impact.

A Papal Name Signaling a New Era

When Pope Leo XIV disclosed the primary reason for his choice of papal name just two days after his historic May 8 election, it wasn't entirely unexpected. Many observers had already speculated that the first American pope in Church history aimed to signal continuity with Pope Leo XIII, celebrated for the “social justice” teachings in his landmark 1891 encyclical Rerum Novarum. What was surprising, however, was the direct and emphatic way Pope Leo XIV linked his papal name selection to the challenge that artificial intelligence poses for contemporary humanity.

To ensure this message about a central priority of his unfolding papacy was clear, the new Holy Father referenced the AI issue again in his first public meeting at the Vatican with journalists who had covered the papal conclave. This early focus begs the question: why is Pope Leo stressing this issue so prominently, and what does it suggest about his intended approach?

AI The Defining Challenge of a Pontificate

The foremost reason for this emphasis is Pope Leo XIV's foresight into AI’s potential to fundamentally reshape human societies, akin to how the Industrial Revolution upended the social order during Leo XIII’s time. He is particularly concerned that artificial intelligence, if misapplied, could disproportionately benefit the rich and powerful. Such a scenario could prove profoundly damaging for vast numbers of workers whose jobs are at risk due to AI’s capacity for displacement, and for other groups who might be denied their fair share of the enormous wealth and opportunities AI has the potential to generate.

Pope Leo is not alone in voicing this concern. On the same day he highlighted AI’s challenges to journalists, The Wall Street Journal published an article quoting a CEO who warned employees in April that “AI is coming for your jobs. Heck, it’s coming for my job too.”

Echoes of Leo XIII A Constructive Blueprint

Though it is early in Leo’s pontificate to detail specific policies on AI engagement, his general approach is clear: he intends to emulate the constructive methodology modeled by the last Leo. Pope Leo XIII, faced with the havoc wreaked by the early decades of the Industrial Revolution on working families and disadvantaged social groups, offered a balanced path.

While Rerum Novarum equally rejected the polar extremes of unrestrained capitalism and confiscatory socialism, Leo XIII did not condemn industrialization outright, unlike some reactionary voices of his era. Instead, he insisted that the new social order must be infused with Christian truth. His goal was to humanize the fundamental economic changes underway and ensure their benefits served the equal dignity of every human person.

Humanizing AI Through Faith and Action

The current Pope Leo similarly intends to engage with our rapidly changing postindustrial world. His vision involves humanizing the widespread introduction of artificial intelligence through a creative encounter with the divine intelligence of the Gospel of Jesus. He seeks to ensure that AI development and deployment are guided by ethical principles that uphold human dignity and promote the common good.

As Leo XIV told the College of Cardinals on May 10, “In our own day, the Church offers to everyone the treasury of her social teaching in response to another industrial revolution and to developments in the field of artificial intelligence that pose new challenges for the defense of human dignity, justice and labor.”

Qualities for a Technological Age

Several personal attributes of Pope Leo XIV, along with his choice of papal name, are particularly relevant in this context. From the moment he stepped onto the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica, addressing the world with his first words “Peace be with you all,” the newly elected Pope’s profound calmness has been striking.

Like many Americans, he is likely inclined toward finding concrete and pragmatic solutions to problems. Furthermore, the name Leo, as the Holy Father knew when he chose it, means “lion” in English, symbolizing both strength and courage.

Practicality, calmness, courage, and strength. This quartet of positive attributes will be invaluable for addressing the challenges of AI, and indeed for the immense evangelical mission now entrusted by God to the stewardship of the Church’s first U.S.-born pope.