Magnifica humanitas (lit. 'magnificent humanity') is the first encyclical of Pope Leo XIV, concerned with "safeguarding the human person in the age of artificial intelligence". It was published on 25 May 2026. Leo chose to present the encyclical personally at the Vatican, unlike most other popes who delegated this task to cardinals. The presentation was attended by AI experts, including Anthropic co-founder Chris Olah. The encyclical argues for placing dignity of the human person at the center of all reflection and, in turn, making it the fundamental criterion guiding technological progress and the assessment of its social, cultural, and moral consequences. It also asserts that human experience, expression, and intelligence are divine creations, not comparable to artificial intelligence systems which are optimized according to technocratic principles. The encyclical affirms the principles of the Church's social doctrine—particularly common good, solidarity, and subsidiarity—as tools to be used for interpreting the ongoing transformation. Faced with the risk of a culture consumed by power, domination, and war, the document proposes the alternative possibility of a civilization of love founded on justice, dialogue, and shared responsibility.
Title The title Magnifica humanitas evokes the greatness and centrality of the human person. The encyclical connects this dignity to its theological foundation: the human person as created in the image and likeness of God and called to live in relationship and communion. The encyclical is subtitled On Safeguarding the Human Person in the Time of Artificial Intelligence, and directly addresses "anthropological" and social questions. Moreover, the title recalls the Magnificat, the canticle pronounced by Mary in Luke 1:46–55. This initial biblical and spiritual reference recalls Mary as an icon of humble faith and hope. Within the context of the encyclical, this Marian theme invites Christians to persevere in prayer and to become "weavers of hope" even in the darkest moments of history.
Background and release
Since the beginning of his pontificate, Pope Leo XIV expressed concerns regarding the rise of artificial intelligence, the crises of human dignity, and multilateralism. The date of the encyclical's publication was selected to fall on the 135th anniversary of the publication of Rerum novarum, the landmark encyclical regarding industrialisation written by Pope Leo XIII. The choice of 15 May, the anniversary of Rerum novarum, has symbolic significance. By choosing the name Leo, Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost indicated his desire to place his pontificate in continuity with the path opened by Leo XIII and with the social magisterium inaugurated by the 1891 encyclical, commonly regarded as one of the foundational texts of the modern social doctrine of the Church. Magnifica humanitas, in continuity with this tradition, recalls Rerum Novarum and reinterprets its social concern in light of the transformations being brought about by artificial intelligence. Its theological reflection is rooted in the principles and foundations of social doctrine, as the criteria for discerning the challenges of the present time. The theme of Pope Leo XIV's encyclical—namely the safeguarding of the human person in the age of artificial intelligence—follows reflections already undertaken by the Holy See on this subject. As early as 2019, the conversation began within the Roman Curia concerning the social, ethical, and political implications of the changes brought about by digital technologies, including artificial intelligence. At that time, the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development (DPIHD) and the Pontifical Council for Culture (PCC) convened a seminar of experts to foster an in-depth debate on the theme of the common good in the digital age. Two years later, the same bodies organized a conference entitled "Promoting Integral Human Development and Peace in the Digital Age. New Technologies in the Post-Covid World." At the center of the discussion was how the pandemic and the consequent lockdown had accelerated the process of digitalization, concluding that, while, on the one hand, this development made remote access to various social services possible, on the other hand, it did not allow sufficient time either for ethical reflection or for comprehensive legislative regulation. A more developed reflection on the future of artificial intelligence came in January 2024 through the message of Pope Francis for the World Day of Peace, entitled "Artificial Intelligence and Peace". There, Francis reflects on the progress of science and technology as a path toward peace and also addresses the ethical dimension of AI, including issues regarding privacy, bias, and the impact of AI on human dignity, encouraging people to confront the challenges of education and the development of international law. Anthropic co-founder Chris Olah was invited to speak at the Vatican's presentation of the encyclical on 25 May 2026. Olah praised the Vatican's role as "informed critics" and the beginning of a "long collaboration between those of us who are building this and those who can see what we, from inside, cannot". The other experts speaking at the presentation alongside Leo XIV were Professor Anna Rowlands, Cardinal Víctor Manuel Fernández, Cardinal Michael Czerny, and Professor Léocadie Lushombo.
Contents The encyclical is subtitled "Safeguarding the Human Person in the Age of artificial intelligence". Within the introduction, Leo XIV describes the state of the encyclical addreses:We are living through a rapid phase of transition, a "change of era," in which — while some are vying for the future of new technologies and others dedicate themselves to reflecting on the matter — most people are watching and waiting, observing from afar and merely hoping for the best. For this very reason, crucial questions impose themselves on our conscience and can no longer be avoided: Where are we going? Toward what goal do we wish to orient ourselves? What direction should we choose as a people and as a human community?
Structure The document is organised as follows:
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