Pope Leo XIV warned against “the risk of dehumanisation” that artificial intelligence can entail, as well as against the concentration of power “in the hands of a few”.
“In many cases, in the digital context, control over platforms, infrastructure, data and computing power does not lie in the hands of states, but of major economic and technological players”, he warned in the encyclical letter Magnifica Humanitas, on safeguarding the human person in the age of artificial intelligence, published on 25 May by the Vatican, stressing that “for AI to respect human dignity and truly serve the common good, responsibilities must be clearly defined”.
Denouncing the “imbalance” between “the speed of technological development” and the “slower development” of standards and safeguards, the Pope also recalled that “AI tends to amplify the power of those who already possess the economic resources, expertise and access to data” and warned against the “desire to secure geopolitical or commercial domination”.
The European Commission said it “fully shares the Pope’s vision” on AI. “In Europe, this is not just a vision, but a reality”, spokesman Thomas Regnier insisted, referring to the EU’s rules on artificial intelligence, while stressing that the Commission applies the European rules “to all models operating in Europe”, regardless of the company. (Original version in French by Ana Pisonero Hernández)