Vatican Launches AI Commission as Pope Leo Prepares First Papal Encyclical on AI Ethics

Summary

Pope Leo XIV approved the creation of a new Vatican Commission on Artificial Intelligence on May 16, marking the first time the Catholic Church has formally coordinated its AI engagement under a single institutional body. The commission, comprised of representatives from seven Vatican institutions including the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith and the Pontifical Academy for Life, will facilitate collaboration and information exchange on AI projects while setting policies for AI use within the Holy See itself.

The move comes days before the release of Leo's first papal encyclical titled "Magnifica Humanitas" (Magnificent Humanity), set for May 25 with participation from Anthropic cofounder Christopher Olah, who developed Claude. The encyclical will address AI through the lens of Catholic social teaching, concentrating on labor rights, justice, human dignity, and AI's effects on individuals and working environments—drawing a deliberate parallel to Pope Leo XIII's 1891 encyclical Rerum Novarum on labor rights during the Industrial Revolution.

A mathematician-turned-priest, Pope Leo XIV has made AI a central focus of his papacy since his election in May 2025, warning against threats to human dignity while acknowledging AI's immense potential. The Vatican had engaged in private discussions with Google, Microsoft, and Cisco executives on AI ethics for years, but this commission represents the first formal, coordinated effort under a unified institutional structure.

• Pope frames AI challenge as comparable to Industrial Revolution, emphasizing labor rights, human dignity, and responsible development