Over a billion people rely on it. Believers claim it sees everything. But it is not God. It is AI.
People are scared. AI psychosis is real. So are the cyber threats. The energy consumption? Massive. Pope Leo XIV is worried.
He plans to release his first major papal document on May 25. It is an encyclical. He is addressing AI’s impact on humanity. He will do it at the Vatican.
Christopher Olah will be there.
Olah co-founded Anthropic. That company bills itself as the safety-first AI lab. They prioritize risk mitigation. But they have a problem. A big one.
The Trump administration banned US agencies from using Anthropic’s tools back in February. Why? Anthropic refused to give the military unrestricted access. The administration hit them with major penalties. Now Anthropic is suing. They call it illegal retaliation for trying to set limits.
The Pope seems to side with the limits.
His new document focuses on “the protection of the human person.” That is what the Vatican called it Monday. It matters. An encyclical is official. It guides bishops and practitioners. It carries weight.
Leo made AI a priority immediately. He hates the idea of AI in war. He wants monitoring. Strict monitoring.
He approved a new commission on May 16. Its job? To coordinate AI activity across the Vatican. They need to share info. Align on projects. Set internal rules for the Holy See.
“The protection of the human person”
The commission pulls experts from seven different Vatican bodies. Think Dicastery for Doctrine of Faith. The Pontifical Academy for Life. Sciences, too.
The encyclical itself
This commission paved the way. The upcoming document uses Catholic social teaching as its frame. That means labor rights. Justice. Human dignity.
It might be called Magnifica Humanitas. Roughly, “Magnificent Humanity.”
It will look at how AI changes people. It will look at the workplace.
The Vatican is not new to this. Pope Francis spoke to the G8 on AI ethics in mid-2024. Before that? Private chats with execs at Google, Microsoft, Cisco.
Internal guidelines went live January 1, 20225.
They require disclosure if content is AI-generated. You cannot use AI if it conflicts with Church mission. There is a five-member compliance body. They enforce the rules.
The Church is building its own guardrails. Meanwhile the White House is breaking them. Which approach works? We will see. The document drops in May. The lawsuit continues.
Silence.
