The Encyclical in brief
In the age of artificial intelligence, humanity faces a choice: whether to be guided by technology and progress as the sole principles on which to build our civilization, or to place human dignity at the center, reducing technical progress to a mere tool. To explain this, Pope Leo uses two biblical images: the construction of the Tower of Babel and the reconstruction of Jerusalem.
To choose the “right” path, we need DYNAMIC THINKING (chap. 1), which looks to the Social Doctrine of the Church following the teachings of the Second Vatican Council: listening, discerning and interpreting our times in the light of the Gospel, to be able to restore revealed truth to humanity, albeit through the languages of the present.
To better interpret the new world of our time in terms of the dignity of the person, the FOUNDATIONS AND PRINCIPLES OF THE SOCIAL DOCTRINE OF THE CHURCH (chap. 2) come to our aid. The foundations concern the human being, the image of the Trinitarian God and, as such, the holder of inviolable rights and intrinsic dignity, without distinction. The principles are those of the common good, the universal destination of goods, subsidiarity and solidarity, as well as social justice, which, if placed at the cornerstone of social relations, lead to what Paul VI was the first to summarize in the concept of integral human development .
And so we come to the crux of the matter, namely, the relationship between technology, power, and the human person (chapter 3). Although Pope Leo recognizes the value of technological development as an expression of human creativity, he warns against the risk of it becoming an absolute criterion of judgment. Artificial intelligence, devoid of experience, values, and feelings, cannot and must never assume a role of responsibility and supremacy over human intelligence.
To escape this danger, it is therefore necessary to PROTECT HUMANITY IN TRANSFORMATION (chap. 4). The first area to focus on is truth : in an era where everything is manipulable, it is necessary to foster a critical education that allows us to distinguish truth from falsehood. The second is work : when efficiency becomes the dominant criterion, work risks losing its human and relational value. The third area is freedom : threatened by digital dependencies and massive data collection, its defense requires fair rules, shared responsibility, and education. To safeguard the conditions for an authentically human life, capable of truth, dignified work, and real freedom, a concerted effort is necessary.
At this point in the Encyclical Letter, Pope Leo recalls that artificial intelligence has often dramatic effects on warfare. Technological innovations not only make defense mechanisms more efficient, but also risk automating and impersonalizing life-and-death decisions, which therefore require ethics and moral responsibility. This is THE CULTURE OF POWER, countered by THE CIVILIZATION OF LOVE (chap. 5). Faced with a tendency to prioritize the effectiveness of means over moral judgment, and military outcomes over the protection of human life, the only prospect of salvation is a civilization founded on justice, fraternity, and dialogue. In the civilization of love, we can all do our part, beginning with the disarmament of words, practicing justice, embracing the perspective of victims, and cultivating dialogue, without taking refuge in idealism but relying on a healthy realism. All these good practices find vital strength in prayer.
The final chapter focuses on the spiritual and theological dimension. God’s mercy, which spans history, places the mystery of the Incarnation at its center. God became man and taught us true humanity and a preferential concern for the least fortunate. Herein lies the greatness of the human being, not in technical power, but in freedom, love, and grace. In an age that breeds exclusion, we are called, as brothers and sisters gathered in “one body in Christ,” to preserve bonds, especially through solidarity and care for the most vulnerable.
Safeguarding humanity in the age of artificial intelligence is, therefore, a common and shared responsibility. Here we return to the initial image of the contrast between the Tower of Babel and the Holy City: to whose construction do we wish to contribute? If we are “wise architects” and builders faithful to the truth, nurturing relationships and investing in education, lovers of justice and peace, humanity will not lose its magnificence. It is important, therefore, not to remain resigned spectators, but rather weavers of hope, with the same faith as Mary who, in her humility, under foreign rule and with a humiliated and divided people, was able to see the invisible and saving work of God.
To read the encyclical click here: https://www.vatican.va/content/leo-xiv/en/encyclicals/documents/20260515-magnifica-humanitas.html
