The AI Industry Just Walked into the Vatican (www.driscollglobe.com)

Pope Leo XIV has officially entered the AI conversation with the release of "Magnifica Humanitas," the first papal encyclical dedicated to artificial intelligence. Standing alongside Anthropic co-founder Chris Olah during the unveiling, the Pope made clear that AI represents a transformative shift akin to the Industrial Revolution, challenging the obsolescence narrative that Big Tech has championed for a decade. The encyclical emphasizes the need for scrutiny and governance involving religious leaders, governments, and civil society, particularly in light of concerns regarding job displacement and the moral implications of AI's rapid advancement. Olah highlighted the pressure within AI development environments, where commercial and political demands often clash with ethical considerations. The encyclical's poignant assertion that "the promise of automatic general prosperity often proves illusory" underscores the necessity for intentional decision-making regarding who benefits from AI advancements, drawing attention to fundamental political and ethical questions. This shift signals a growing recognition that a mere market-driven approach may not suffice to navigate the socio-economic disruptions brought about by AI, as the Vatican steps in to advocate for labor, dignity, and justice in the face of technological evolution.