Pope Partners with Anthropic for First AI Encyclical Launch
Pope Leo XIV will present first papal encyclical on AI with Anthropic co-founder Christopher Olah at Vatican on May 25.
"The Vatican just picked sides in the AI safety war—and it's the company Trump banned. When 1.4 billion Catholics get marching orders on AI ethics, that's regulation by prayer."
Pope Leo XIV will personally present his first encyclical, "Magnifica Humanitas" (Magnificent Humanity), on May 25, 2026, addressing artificial intelligence and human dignity. Anthropic co-founder Christopher Olah will join the Pope at the Vatican presentation—an unprecedented move featuring the head of an AI company at a papal document launch.
The encyclical, signed May 15 exactly 135 years after Pope Leo XIII's workers' rights document during the Industrial Revolution, is expected to address AI's impact on labor, justice, and peace. The Vatican chose Anthropic despite the U.S. government blacklisting the company in February for refusing military AI access. Anthropic, valued at $380 billion, positions itself as the safety-first AI company alongside OpenAI and xAI.
Cardinals Víctor Manuel Fernández and Michael Czerny will present the document, with Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin offering conclusions. The Pope's choice signals a global split in AI governance—U.S. military priorities versus European emphasis on human dignity and safety restraints affecting 1.4 billion Catholics worldwide.
This marks the Vatican entering AI policy debates with moral authority over 1.4 billion Catholics, creating competitive pressure on AI companies to demonstrate ethical frameworks. Companies now face navigating conflicting demands: U.S. government military applications versus religious and European institutions prioritizing human dignity. The Vatican's choice of blacklisted Anthropic shows non-governmental authorities becoming legitimacy brokers in AI development.
More AI news
Find the right AI tool for your business
Chat with Insta and get matched to the right tool in seconds.
Try Insta Tool Finder →