Pope Francis urges AI disarmament and regulation in new encyclical
Pope Francis released a major encyclical urging governments to prevent AI systems from making irreversible or lethal decisions and to regulate the technology for public benefit over corporate profit.
Pope Francis presented a lengthy encyclical this week calling for what he termed the "disarmament" of artificial intelligence — specifically, preventing AI systems from making irreversible or lethal decisions without human oversight. The document, unveiled at a Vatican presentation attended by an Anthropic representative, argues that AI development should prioritize the common good over private profit.
The Pope's manifesto comes as governments worldwide grapple with how to regulate increasingly capable AI systems. His call for robust regulation echoes concerns raised by AI safety researchers about autonomous weapons and high-stakes decision-making systems. The encyclical explicitly warns against allowing AI to make decisions that cannot be reversed or that involve taking human life.
Moral authority and corporate control
During the presentation, the Pope stated that "a more moral AI is not enough if that morality is determined by a few" — a pointed remark made in the presence of Anthropic's representative. The Anthropic spokesperson responded by reiterating the company's position that AI development should not be left solely to big tech firms, a stance Anthropic leadership has voiced repeatedly in recent months.
The encyclical's focus on Catholic moral teaching raises questions about whether other religious traditions will issue similar guidance. AI development is driven largely by countries without significant Catholic influence, including the United States, China, and much of East Asia.
