The pope’s AI encyclical isn’t really about AI

In a historical pivot that merges ancient theology with modern sociology, Pope Leo XIV’s inaugural encyclical has emerged not as a technical manual on algorithms, but as a searing critique of the global power structures that govern them. While the silicon-valley nomenclature of machine learning and large language models provides the backdrop, the document’s core focus is a familiar ecclesiastical concern: the erosion of human dignity under the weight of unaccountable authority. By framing artificial intelligence as a symptom rather than the disease, the Vatican has positioned itself as a primary ethical arbiter in a debate often dominated by technologists and venture capitalists.

This document represents the culmination of a decade-long shift in the Holy See’s engagement with science. Under the previous papacy, the Rome Call for AI Ethics laid the groundwork for "algorand-ethics," signaling that the Church viewed digital governance as a moral imperative. However, Leo XIV’s intervention goes significantly further. It moves past the "trolley problem" ethics of autonomous vehicles to address the macro-economic reality of the AI era. The Pope’s target is not the code itself, but the "tech elite" who hold the keys to it—a modern iteration of the landed gentry whose control over the infrastructure of life threatens the sovereignty of the individual and the democratic health of the state.

The mechanics of the Pope’s argument rest on the concept of "concentrated agency." In the Vatican’s view, the current trajectory of AI development favors a centralized model where a handful of corporations dictate the parameters of truth, labor, and social interaction. This creates a feedback loop: as these systems become more integrated into civil life, the power to define "the common good" shifts from representative institutions to opaque proprietary systems. The encyclical argues that when human decisions are outsourced to black-box models managed by a tiny fraction of the population, the democratic process is not just bypassed—it is rendered obsolete.

From an industry perspective, this encyclical signals a growing rift between institutional moral authority and the "growth at all costs" mindset of Big Tech. While tech giants often frame AI as a democratizing force, the Vatican’s analysis suggests the opposite: a tool for the further stratification of society. This narrative shift is likely to embolden regulators, particularly in the European Union, who are already seeking to curb the influence of dominant tech platforms. If the moral consensus begins to view AI advancement as a transfer of power rather than a technological triumph, the political will for aggressive antitrust and transparency mandates will likely intensify.

Furthermore, the encyclical challenges the market’s obsession with efficiency. By prioritizing human agency over optimized outcomes, the Church is effectively calling for a "slow tech" movement or, at the very least, a heavy-handed human-in-the-loop requirement for all critical systems. This puts the Vatican in direct opposition to the race toward Artificial General Intelligence (AGI), which many proponents see as the ultimate tool for liberation, but which Leo XIV frames as a potential blueprint for a new digital feudalism. It is a fundamental disagreement over whether progress should be measured by the speed of the machine or the autonomy of the person.

As we look toward the legal and social fallout of this document, the key indicator of success will be whether it influences the Global South. The Vatican’s reach is most profound in regions where tech infrastructure is still being built. If developing nations adopt the Pope’s skeptical stance on tech-dependency, it could alter the global map of AI adoption and data sovereignty. Investors and developers should watch for a shift in how emerging markets negotiate with Silicon Valley, possibly demanding greater local control and transparency as a prerequisite for entry.

Ultimately, the encyclical serves as a reminder that the most significant risks posed by AI may not be existential or robotic, but political and social. The "AI problem" is, in the Pope’s estimation, merely the latest chapter in the perennial struggle against the consolidation of power. By stripping away the technical mystique of AI, the Church has refocused the conversation on who gets to decide the future—and whether that choice belongs to many, or to a selected few. Progress, the document suggests, is only legitimate when it is shared; anything else is simply a new form of enclosure.