Pope Leo XIV has officially approved the creation of an Interdicasterial Commission on Artificial Intelligence, signaling the Vatican’s growing involvement in global debates about AI ethics, human dignity, and technological governance. According to Vatican News, the commission was established in response to the rapid expansion of artificial intelligence and concerns about its impact on humanity, labor, peace, and social development. The initiative reflects the Church’s effort to ensure that technological progress remains centered on human well-being rather than purely economic or political interests.
The new commission will bring together multiple Vatican departments to study the ethical, social, cultural, and spiritual implications of AI. Vatican officials emphasized that artificial intelligence raises serious questions about human dignity, employment, inequality, surveillance, misinformation, and autonomous warfare. Pope Leo XIV has repeatedly described AI as one of the defining moral challenges of the modern era, comparing its societal impact to the Industrial Revolution that inspired Pope Leo XIII’s historic encyclical Rerum Novarum in 1891.
The announcement comes as Pope Leo prepares to release his first encyclical, which is widely expected to focus heavily on artificial intelligence and Catholic social teaching. Vatican observers believe the document will argue for an ethics-based approach to AI that prioritizes human relationships, justice, labor rights, and peace over unchecked technological acceleration. The Vatican has already become increasingly active in AI governance discussions through initiatives such as the Rome Call for AI Ethics and partnerships focused on responsible technology development.
Pope Leo has also expressed concern about AI’s role in warfare and digital manipulation. In recent speeches, he warned that AI-directed weapons and high-tech military systems could push humanity toward what he called a “spiral of annihilation.” At the same time, he has argued that AI should serve humanity rather than replace authentic human relationships, creativity, and responsibility. The creation of the new commission suggests the Vatican intends to play a larger role in shaping the ethical framework surrounding artificial intelligence as governments and technology companies race to expand its capabilities worldwide.
