# Pope Leo XIV Calls to "Disarm" AI in First Encyclical, Declares Lethal Autonomous Weapons Morally Impermissible

*2026-05-28 18:01 UTC · Other · 1 min read*

> Pope Leo XIV's first encyclical, Magnifica Humanitas, urges the world to "disarm" AI and declares lethal autonomous weapons morally impermissible.

Pope Leo XIV released his first encyclical, Magnifica Humanitas ("Magnificent Humanity"), on May 25, 2026 — a 42,300-word, 245-paragraph document urging governments, tech leaders and society to "disarm" artificial intelligence before it erodes human relationships, critical thinking and peace. He defines disarming AI as freeing it from a mentality of "armed competition" that he says is no longer just military but economic and cognitive.

The pope condemned handing combat decisions to machines, writing that "it is not permissible to entrust lethal or otherwise irreversible decisions to artificial systems" and that "no algorithm can make war morally acceptable." He sets three requirements: traceability of decisions, meaningful human control over lethal action, and international rules — comparable to nuclear arms control — capable of slowing the technological arms race.

The encyclical also brands AI infrastructure monopolies "an ethical failure" incompatible with human dignity and warns that automation-driven mass unemployment would be "a true social calamity." In an unprecedented break with Vatican tradition, Anthropic co-founder Chris Olah presented alongside the pope at the launch.

## Sources

- [ncronline.org](https://www.ncronline.org/vatican/vatican-news/pope-leo-calls-disarm-ai-major-document-warns-technologic-threats-humanity)
- [techtimes.com](https://www.techtimes.com/articles/317211/20260526/pope-leo-xivs-first-encyclical-casts-ai-defining-challenge-our-era.htm)
- [usccb.org](https://www.usccb.org/news/2026/first-encyclical-pope-leo-urges-world-disarm-ai-amid-increased-reliance)

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TechTools News · https://techtools.cz/tools/news/article/1730-pope-leo-xiv-calls-to-disarm-ai-in-first-encyclical-declares-lethal-autonomous
Česká verze: https://techtools.cz/tools/news/clanek/1803-papez-lev-xiv-ve-sve-prvni-encyklice-vyzyva-k-odzbrojeni-ai-a-oznacuje-smrtici