COMISIÓN INTERDICASTERIAL SOBRE INTELIGENCIA ARTIFICIAL
“Un verdadero signo de esperanza, destinado a ayudar a la Curia Romana a afrontar los desafíos de la Inteligencia Artificial”, Card. Michael Czerny SJ
El Papa León XIV aprobó la institución de una Comisión Interdicasterial sobre la Inteligencia Artificial (IA) que será coordinada durante il primer año por el Dicasterio para el Servicio del Desarrollo Humano Integral (DSDHI).
La Oficina de Prensa de la Santa Sede informó, a través de un "Rescriptum ex audientia Sanctissimi”*, que la decisión fue motivada tras considerar “el desarrollo en las últimas décadas del fenómeno de la inteligencia artificial y las aceleraciones más recientes en su uso generalizado; sus efectos potenciales sobre el ser humano y sobre la humanidad en su conjunto y la preocupación de la Iglesia por la dignidad de todo ser humano, especialmente en relación con su desarrollo integral”.
Sigue en https://www.humandevelopment.va/es/news/2026/commissione-interdicasteriale-sullintelligenza-artificiale.html
16 mayo 2026
* https://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/es/bollettino/pubblico/2026/05/16/160526e.html
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“Artificial intelligence needs to be disarmed”: Pope Leo presents Magnifica Humanitas
In the Vatican’s Synod Hall, in the presence of the Holy Father, his first encyclical was presented on the protection of the human person in the age of artificial intelligence.
On the morning of Monday 25 May 2026, the Synod Hall at the
Vatican was filled with people, including top representatives of the Vatican
Dicasteries and the Roman Curia, the diplomatic corps, and journalists.
Everyone gathered in the presence of the Holy Father for the presentation of
his first encyclical, Magnifica Humanitas.
To access all the in-depth resources on the encyclical, click here.
The event began with the screening of a launch
video to introduce the encyclical.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8YuU8tal1OQ
FUENTE, enlace;
https://www.humandevelopment.va/en/news/2026/intelligenza-artificiale-disarmata-papa-leone-magnifica-humanitas.html
The Letter was presented by Cardinal Víctor Manuel Fernández,
Prefect of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, and Cardinal Michael
Czerny, Prefect of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development
(DPIHD). The distinguished moderator was Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Secretary of
State, who, in his opening address, emphasised that the initiative bears
witness to a Church eager to engage in dialogue on the transformations brought
about by new technologies, listening to those who “are directly involved in
this transformation” and contributing “the heritage of wisdom entrusted to it
in the light of Revelation in Christ”.
Cardinal Fernández focused
on the passages of the encyclical that he himself described as “the most
theological”. In particular, he highlighted the contrast between progress—which
places total trust in technological capabilities—and “a life lived in faith,
hope and charity”. To the most common interpretation of progress as the
overcoming of human limitations, the encyclical sets forth a vision in which
limitation is not a defect to be eliminated, but a constitutive dimension of the
person. However, the Prefect recalls, the Holy Father “insists on showing how
this call to transcend ourselves towards another level of humanity—the one
dreamed of by God—resonates within Christianity as well”. Here is the full text
Next to speak was Professor Anna Rowlands, a
political theologian, who focused specifically on the Church’s social doctrine
and the theological ethics of human migration, offering a comprehensive
analysis of all the main themes of the encyclical. The key to understanding
remains the Christian social tradition, of which, according to Professor
Rowlands, Magnifica Humanitas offers a new synthesis: “The
Church’s social doctrine invites us into a wide communal space of encounter and
mutual accompaniment, sharing in a collective search for truth, justice and
flourishing.” Read the full speech
Christopher Olah, co-founder of Anthropic,
an AI company, and a leading researcher in the field of AI interpretability,
then took the floor. Speaking candidly, the scientist highlighted several
challenges posed by artificial intelligence and acknowledged that, for this
technology to move in the right direction, there needs to be constant dialogue
and collaboration between those working within AI systems and “people who care
about things going well, who are paying close attention, who are willing to say
hard things, who are willing to be our earnest, thoughtful, critics.” For the full speech
Following him, Professor Leocadie Lushombo i.t.,
who holds a doctorate in theology and is a professor of Theological Ethics at
the Jesuit School of Theology, Santa Clara University, California, drew
attention to the most vulnerable peoples and communities and to the Holy
Father’s warnings regarding the effects of artificial intelligence on conscience
and the urgency of safeguarding the truth, protecting vulnerable workers and
assuming a shared moral responsibility. “One way the Church and society in the
global south could leverage this technology for good,” explained the
theologian, “is by giving people a voice in ways we haven’t before. It is time
to make good use of the local means that preserve the culture of
encounters.” Here is the full speech
If AI is the fruit of our ingenuity and a testament to human
greatness, Cardinal Czerny explained, it presents us with a
series of challenges. “The future of artificial intelligence,” said the Prefect
of the DPIHD, “is a building site. [...] The direction that AI takes is not
written into the technology itself. It depends on our choices.” It is therefore
necessary to act in accordance with our conscience, that is, “that innermost part
of the person where the human being is touched by the voice of God”, and to
care for our future, as we do for our Common Home. Read the full speech
In conclusion, Cardinal Parolin reiterated that the future of
technology lies in human responsibility. The encyclical calls on us, in fact,
to “form consciences capable of living in the age of artificial intelligence
without losing our freedom, of using powerful tools without allowing ourselves
to be dominated by them, of remaining human in an environment increasingly
shaped by automated logic”.
Following the speakers’ remarks, the Holy Father took the
floor. With conviction, Leo affirmed that “artificial intelligence now demands
to be ‘disarmed’, freed from logics that turn it into an instrument of
domination, exclusion and death.”
But for AI to be directed towards the common good, we must also
build. The Church, which has always been “called to decipher the ‘new things’
in the light of the Gospel and the dignity of the human being”, and its
Shepherd wish—as the Pope explained—to offer their contribution: “We do not
possess technical answers, nor do we seek to displace those with expertise. But
we bring a wisdom concerning the human that our present time desperately
needs.” Read the Holy Father’s address here
The event was also streamed online.
Watch the live stream
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JxcXcP6NyRM
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Interventions
Pope Leo XIV (EN)
Christopher Olah (EN)
Anna Rowlands (EN)
Leo Lushombo (EN)
Card. Czerny SJ (EN)
Card. Fernandez (EN)
Card. Parolin (IT)
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