Pope Leo XIV issued an encyclical warning about the social, political, and human consequences of artificial intelligence, emphasizing the urgent need for societies to decide whether AI will serve humanity or exacerbate inequality and manipulation, according to medianama.com. The Pope highlighted how AI, robotics, and data systems are rapidly reshaping daily life and global power structures.
The encyclical details how control over digital platforms, infrastructure, data, and computing power is shifting from governments to a few major economic and technological actors. Pope Leo XIV cautioned that this concentration of digital power risks creating new forms of dependency, exclusion, and manipulation. He also warned that a small number of powerful groups could use AI to influence democratic processes and economic dynamics to their advantage.
This warning comes amid growing concerns about the role of big tech companies in shaping information and consumption patterns. The Pope argued that data should be regarded as a common good rather than a commodity controlled by a select few. He also called for disarmament in AI development, cautioning against a global race for increasingly powerful algorithms and larger datasets driven by commercial and geopolitical competition.
Looking ahead, Pope Leo XIV’s encyclical urges policymakers, tech companies, and society at large to rethink the governance of AI and data. It calls for frameworks that ensure AI development benefits all of humanity, prevents concentration of power, and avoids exacerbating inequalities. The message underscores the need for global cooperation to manage AI’s impact responsibly.