Pope Warns of AI Dangers in First Encyclical
ABC News
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Details
- Date Published
- 26 May 2026
- Priority Score
- 4
- Australian
- Yes
- Created
- 26 May 2026, 10:00 am
Description
Pope Leo is urging governments around the world to step up the regulation of Artificial Intelligence, warning that people need to be protected from the technology's worst effects.
Summary
Pope Leo XIV has issued a landmark encyclical, 'Magnifica humanitas', calling for urgent global regulation to protect humanity from the potential existential and social harms of artificial intelligence. The intervention features perspectives from frontier AI experts like Anthropic's Christopher Olah and UNSW's Toby Walsh, highlighting the moral urgency of aligning AI development with human values. This document signifies a major shift in the Vatican's engagement with catastrophic risk, positioning AI safety as a central ethical challenge for the global community. The reporting emphasizes the need for regulatory frameworks that can mitigate large-scale societal disruption and protect human dignity against uncontrollable technical advancements.
Body
Pope Leo is urging governments around the world to step up the regulation of Artificial Intelligence, warning that people need to be protected from the technology's worst effects.The call comes in Leo's first "encyclical" since he became Pope.Those documents have been issued by the leader of the Catholic Church for hundreds of years to guide the Church leaders and the faithful on moral and social challenges.More InformationFeatured: Pope Leo XIVChristopher Olah, Anthropic Professor Toby Walsh, AI Institute, UNSWKatie McGrady, CNN Vatican analyst CreditsSamantha Donovan, PresenterRachel Mealey, ReporterImage DetailsPope Leo XIV attends the presentation of "Magnifica humanitas", his first encyclical, focused on the rise of artificial intelligence, at the Vatican's Aula Nuova del Sinodo, May 25, 2026. REUTERS/Yara Nardi(Reuters: Yara Nardi)Program:More from PM Appears In NSW Police presence at Bondi under scrutinyDuration: 25 minutes 46 seconds25m 5itemsIn this episode1 of 5Royal Commission questions Bondi police resourcesDuration: 4 minutes 2 seconds4m 2s2 of 5No charges following NT Indigenous death3 of 5Power prices set to fall in several states4 of 5PlayingPope warns of AI dangers Duration: 5 minutes 13 seconds5m 5 of 5US strikes Iran amid peace talksDuration: 4 minutes 31 seconds4m 31s