On May 25, 2026, Pope Leo XIV announced the publication of a new encyclical dedicated to artificial intelligence, marking a milestone as the first pontiff to directly participate in its presentation. The document addresses the ethical dilemmas of AI, from labor automation to data privacy, seeking to place technology at the center of Catholic social debate.
The technical points of the Vatican encyclical on AI 🤖
The encyclical analyzes AI as a double-edged tool: capable of optimizing processes in health or education, but also of widening inequality and social control. The text urges developers to prioritize algorithmic transparency and to design systems that respect human dignity. It does not propose prohibitions, but ethical frameworks for governments and companies to regulate its use, warning against delegating moral decisions to machines.
AI goes to confession: will it sin or ask for indulgences? 😇
The news sparked memes about whether the Pope will ask Siri to say a Hail Mary or if Alexa will have to confess for eavesdropping on conversations. Meanwhile, the faithful's virtual assistants are already debating whether the encyclical applies to their series recommendation algorithms. What no one clarifies is whether AI will have to fast during Lent or if it will be enough for it to just turn off the microwave.