In a major statement on technology and ethics, Pope Leo XIV declared that artificial intelligence “must serve humanity — not concentrate power,” as he expanded on the Vatican’s new Magnifica Humanitas initiative focused on the moral future of AI.

Speaking before diplomats, scientists, and technology leaders at the Vatican, the Pope warned that unchecked artificial intelligence could deepen inequality, weaken democracy, and place enormous influence in the hands of governments and powerful corporations. He stressed that technological innovation cannot be separated from ethical responsibility and human dignity.

“When knowledge and data are controlled by only a few,” Pope Leo said, “freedom itself is at risk.” He cautioned against systems that use AI for mᴀss surveillance, manipulation of public opinion, economic domination, or autonomous warfare, describing such developments as threats to both peace and human liberty.

The Magnifica Humanitas initiative calls for international cooperation to ensure transparency, accountability, and fairness in AI development. The Pope urged world leaders to place the common good above profit and geopolitical compeтιтion, insisting that technology should uplift the vulnerable rather than marginalize them further.

Observers described the address as one of the strongest Vatican interventions yet on artificial intelligence and global power structures. Pope Leo concluded by calling for a “human-centered digital future” where innovation is guided not only by efficiency, but by wisdom, compᴀssion, and justice.