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The pope’s AI encyclical isn’t really about AI

Pope Leo XIV's first encyclical uses AI as a framework to address broader societal issues including power concentration, democratic erosion, and the influence of tech elites. While the document references AI, its core message focuses on long-standing ethical and social challenges rather than technical aspects of artificial intelligence. The encyclical positions these modern technologies within the context of traditional Catholic social teaching.

Background

An encyclical is a papal letter sent to all bishops of the Roman Catholic Church, traditionally used for significant matters of doctrine or moral guidance. Pope Leo XIV is a fictional future pope, as the current pope is Francis and the last pope named Leo was Leo XIII who died in 1903.

Source
TechCrunch
Published
May 25, 2026 at 11:09 PM
Score
6.0 / 10