Pope Leo on AI, World Hunger, and the 4th of July

Pope Leo XIV has recently made statements on artificial intelligence, world hunger, and the 4th of July.  In each case, he stressed respect for human dignity, grounded in God’s love for all people, as the basis for moral and political decisions. In each case, there is clearly tension between what is happening now and human dignity.  

In late May, he released his first encyclical, Magnifica Humanitas (Magnificent Humanity): On Safeguarding the Human Person in the Time of Artificial Intelligence.

He discussed the downsides in how AI is being developed. But he argued that technology is not inherently good or bad. “It takes on the characteristics of those who devise, finance, regulate, and use it,” he wrote. He noted that today’s AI is being developed by “certain highly powerful interests.” We live in a “world where data, computational resources and regulatory influence is in the hands of a few.” Without being explicit, he was clearly referring to tech billionaires, with support from the politicians they have rallied around. 

Pope Leo says that AI has been infected by what he calls the “culture of power.” Among the specific issues the encyclical discusses, Leo included the crisis of multilateralism in international relations. International cooperation has given way to “a disorderly and conflict-ridden multipolarism.”  

Magnifica Humanitas begins with two biblical stories.  First, the Tower of Babel, a symbol of elitist, destructive power.  Babel is contrasted with the biblical story of returned exiles working together to rebuild Jerusalem’s walls. It concludes with reflections on the intrinsic dignity of human beings. God has chosen to dwell in us finite and fragile human beings. God’s love is what makes us magnificent.

Leo urges us to replace the currently dominant “culture of power” with a “culture of love.” A culture of love for all people is the basis for a humane development of artificial intelligence. 

Shortly after the release of Magnifica Humanitas, the Pope visited the World Food Program and delivered an address on world hunger. He spoke against a backdrop of rapid increases in extreme hunger, mostly in places like Gaza and Sudan that are afflicted by violent conflict.     

Leo’s address urged focus on the underlying reasons for growing hunger, principally the crisis of multilateralism. He calls for international cooperation — “so that all may receive their daily bread and live in dignity.”

On July 3, Pope Leo accepted an award from the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia, honoring his commitment to human dignity and freedom of conscience and expression. He spoke via livestream to a diverse convocation in Philadelphia and, beyond them, to the American people. 

He grounded his address in the Declaration of Independence and its affirmation of universal human rights. The language is shaped by the Enlightenment, but rooted in the Christian message of human dignity. His comments about the right to life called us to respect “the vulnerable and those whose worth is questioned,” specifically including immigrants. 

He also affirmed the first amendment to the U.S. Constitution regarding freedom of religion and conviction. He called for interfaith cooperation on community issues.

Pope Leo’s final words were, “God bless America.”

I would add, “Thank God for Pope Leo.”