At 11:30 AM on May 25, Pope Leo XIV officially released his first encyclical, Magnifica Humanitas (Magnificent Humanity), at the New Synod Hall in the Vatican, with its theme directly addressing "safeguarding human dignity in the age of artificial intelligence." Chris Olah, co-founder of Anthropic and head of interpretability research, appeared as a lay speaker alongside two cardinals and two theologians—a nearly unprecedented lineup in the history of encyclical releases.
A Historic Moment: The 1891 Rerum Novarum and Today's Magnifica Humanitas
The encyclical was signed on May 15—exactly the 135th anniversary of Pope Leo XIII's Rerum Novarum. The 1891 encyclical, issued in response to the impact of the Industrial Revolution on labor rights, established for the first time the basic rights of workers and opposed the alienation of "the flesh" by machinery. Today's Magnifica Humanitas confronts the threats AI poses to human creativity, identity, and the meaning of existence.
The release event featured an "all-star" lineup: Cardinal Fernández (Prefect of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith), Cardinal Czerny (Prefect of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development), theologian Anna Rowlands from Durham University, Anthropic co-founder Chris Olah, and Sister Leocadie Lushombo from Santa Clara University, each delivering speeches. Secretary of State Cardinal Parolin delivered the concluding remarks, and the Pope personally imparted his blessing.
Core of the Encyclical: Not Containing Technology, But "Guiding Technology"
According to Vatican sources, the approximately 200-page document delves into how technology—particularly AI—is transforming society, especially concepts of labor relations and family solidarity. In a preview address on May 17, the Pope emphasized that the goal is not to "contain technological innovation" but to "guide technological innovation" so that it respects the fundamental value of human dignity.
Chris Olah's presence carries symbolic significance. As a core architect of Anthropic's "Constitutional AI" philosophy, his technical direction closely aligns with the Vatican's advocacy of "technology serving humanity." This also marks the most direct exchange and collaboration between a sitting Pope and a frontier AI lab to date.
Political Tensions: Potential Opposition to the Trump Administration
The release creates subtle tensions with the Trump administration. Just last week, Trump—following phone lobbying from Musk, Zuckerberg, and Sachs—rolled back AI safety executive orders. The Vatican has been one of the most consistent institutional voices opposing lethal autonomous weapons systems. Anthropic is currently suing the U.S. Department of Defense over being designated a "supply chain risk" for refusing to allow its technology to be used in autonomous lethal weapons. The Pope's choice of Anthropic over OpenAI or Google as a partner sends a clear ethical signal.
Conclusion
When 1.4 billion Catholics hear Magnifica Humanitas in today's services, they receive not merely a religious document but a "secular constitution" on how humanity should conduct itself in the AI era. The Pope's alliance with AI scientists marks a shift in AI ethics from industry self-regulation to the construction of a cross-disciplinary, cross-faith global consensus. One hundred and thirty-five years ago, Rerum Novarum established the baseline of human rights for industrial laborers; 135 years later, can Magnifica Humanitas establish the baseline of "human dignity" for the AI revolution? History will provide the answer.