Pope Leo XIV’s encyclical Magnificas humanitas is about more than artificial intelligence, in the same way that Pope Francis’ Laudato si’ was about more than the environment and Pope Leo XIII’s Rerum novarum—the foundational document of modern Catholic social teaching—was about more than labor and work. The newest missive may be “On Safeguarding the Human Person in the Time of Artificial Intellige...
The strongest version of this narrative highlights the Church’s attempt to engage with modern technological and social challenges while grappling with its own institutional contradictions. The encyclical’s call for human-centered AI and global cooperation is commendable, as is its acknowledgment of systemic inequalities. However, the document’s limited inclusion of female voices—despite its critique of gender discrimination—reveals a persistent blind spot. This tension underscores a broader patt...