Pope Calls for AI "Disarmed" Through Regulation, Citing War and Job Loss Risks
Pope Leo XIV issued his first papal encyclical calling for artificial intelligence to be "disarmed" through major regulation, citing specific concerns about military applications and economic displacement. The 42,000-word document, signed May 15, 2025, represents the most direct papal intervention on AI policy to date.
The pope framed AI regulation as a moral imperative rather than a technical problem. "It's not enough to invoke ethics in the abstract," the encyclical states. "Robust legal frameworks, independent oversight, informed users, and a political system that does not abdicate its responsibility are required."
War and Autonomous Weapons Drive Core Argument
The encyclical's central concern is AI's use in military applications. The pope characterized AI-directed warfare as incompatible with Catholic just war doctrine, a six-centuries-old framework that assumes human decision-makers control military action.
He described machine-directed warfare as "even more of an atrocity" than human-conducted war. The distinction matters: the pope acknowledges the horror of conventional conflict but views autonomous systems as a categorical violation of established moral frameworks.
The timing reflects recent geopolitical events. The pope expressed particular alarm over a school bombing in Iran that killed 168 children, framing AI weapons as a distinct threat requiring new theological and legal responses.
Economic Dislocation and Labor Protections
The encyclical directly addresses job displacement. "The pursuit of greater profits cannot justify choices that systematically sacrifice jobs," the pope wrote, drawing a parallel to Pope Leo XIII's 1890 encyclical on workers' rights during the Industrial Revolution.
The comparison signals the pope's intent: just as the earlier encyclical helped spark the labor movement, he appears to be calling for comparable social mobilization around AI-driven economic change.
This stance puts the Vatican at odds with Vice President J.D. Vance, who argued in February 2025 for less regulatory focus and more emphasis on innovation.
Anthropic Invited Despite Criticism
Anthropic co-founder Christopher Olah attended the encyclical's unveiling despite the pope's pointed critiques of AI companies. Olah addressed one of the document's secondary concerns: the concentration of AI development in wealthy nations and the lack of mechanisms to distribute gains globally.
The Vatican's decision to include Olah signals a pragmatic approach. The church cannot reject technology outright, and the pope identified Anthropic as willing to engage with ethical constraints-distinguishing it from competitors in the papal assessment.
Consumer Behavior and Screen Time
The encyclical extends beyond regulation and military concerns to personal technology use. The pope called for reduced screen time, more face-to-face interaction, and family dinners without phones.
This reflects the pope's personal experience with technology. He is the first pope to own a cell phone and Apple Watch, giving him direct exposure to the behavioral effects of consumer AI and digital platforms.
Vatican Apology on Slavery
Separate from AI policy, the pope issued a historic apology for the Vatican's role in legitimizing slavery for centuries, calling it a "wound in the Christian memory." As the first US-born pope, he framed this acknowledgment within the context of America's 250th anniversary and connected historical injustice to contemporary risks.
The apology appears linked to his AI concerns: he suggested that AI could create new forms of dignity violations similar to slavery if left unregulated.
Targets: Washington and Silicon Valley
The encyclical addresses three distinct audiences. Government officials in Washington and globally receive the call for regulation. Silicon Valley receives a challenge to engage with ethical frameworks rather than resist them. Consumers receive an invitation to reconsider their relationship with technology.
The pope designated AI the biggest challenge facing humanity today. His papacy, he suggested, will be defined by protection of future generations from its worst outcomes.
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