Pope Leo XIV has made clear that one of his key objectives is to develop new Catholic teaching on artificial intelligence, signaling its significance by addressing the topic in his inaugural speech to the College of Cardinals. Drawing a parallel with Pope Leo XIII´s historic encyclical ´Rerum Novarum,´ which responded to the first industrial revolution, Pope Leo XIV referenced today´s ´new industrial revolution´ led by digital technology and artificial intelligence, emphasizing emerging challenges in defending human dignity, justice, and labor. He stated that the Church must extend her social teaching to address the profound societal shifts caused by current and future technological advances.
The move represents a continuation of the Church´s social doctrine tradition, which has evolved through popes like Pius XI, John XXIII, and John Paul II, all of whom built upon Leo XIII´s foundational work by outlining moral guidelines for economic and technological progress. Experts such as Father Philip Larrey, a philosophy professor at Boston College specializing in the ethics of artificial intelligence, welcomed Pope Leo XIV´s early and direct engagement with technology´s implications. Larrey noted that the pope´s prioritization of artificial intelligence underscores its substantial impact and the urgency for the Church to provide moral guidance amid rapid societal and workforce upheaval.
Other Catholic commentators, including Eric Sammons, acknowledged the accelerating influence of artificial intelligence, with Sammons highlighting that Pope Francis had already recognized the need for formal Vatican discussion by issuing the document ´Antiqua et Nova.´ Sammons and others view Pope Leo XIV’s commitment as an effort to ensure the Church keeps pace with technological change, building a Catholic perspective that welcomes innovation while reaffirming the primacy of human and family dignity. The article also mentions that broader Christian organizations, such as the Family Research Council, have voiced concerns over artificial intelligence’s impacts on families, children, and employment, underscoring widening inequalities highlighted by recent United Nations reports. With artificial intelligence expected to disrupt a significant portion of global jobs and shift economic balances, Pope Leo XIV’s leadership signals that the Church will seek to shape the ethical boundaries of technology to protect human welfare and social cohesion.
