A person holds a copy of Pope Leo XIV's first encyclical letter 'Magnifica Humanitas,' during its presentation in Vatican City, Monday. This document focuses on preserving human dignity in the era of artificial intelligence. EPA-Yonhap
VATICAN CITY — Pope Leo urged governments to slow down and closely regulate the development of AI systems in his first major document, released on Monday, warning that they spread misinformation, prioritize conflict and risk leading the world down a path of unending war.
Leo, who has adopted a more forceful tone in recent months and has drawn the ire of U.S. President Donald Trump after criticizing the Iran war, made a range of impassioned appeals to world leaders in the lengthy text, known as an encyclical.
The first U.S. pope called for ownership of AI data not to be left solely in private hands, for policy-makers to protect the rights of workers and keep children safe from the technology, and urged the cooling of competition between AI companies.
"What is needed is a more active political involvement that is capable of slowing things down when everything is accelerating," said Leo in the text, entitled "Magnifica Humanitas" (Magnificent Humanity).
