Pope Leo XIV is set to release his first encyclical later this month, addressing one of the most pressing issues of the modern age: artificial intelligence and the protection of the human person.
According to Vatican News, the Holy Father’s first encyclical will be titled Magnifica humanitas and is scheduled for publication on May 25, 2026. The document focuses on “preserving the human person in the age of artificial intelligence,” according to the Vatican announcement.
The encyclical bears the Pope’s signature dated May 15, marking the 135th anniversary of Pope Leo XIII’s landmark social encyclical Rerum novarum, a document that addressed the dignity of workers during the industrial revolution. The timing suggests Pope Leo XIV may be drawing a parallel between the Church’s response to the rise of industrialization in the 19th century and the rapid development of artificial intelligence today.
The Vatican also announced that a special presentation event for Magnifica humanitas will take place on the same day as its release at the Synod Hall inside the Vatican.
According to Vatican News, Pope Leo XIV himself will attend the event alongside several Church leaders and experts in theology and artificial intelligence. Speakers will include Víctor Manuel Fernández, Michael Czerny, theologian Anna Rowlands, and AI researcher Christopher Olah.
Professor Leocadie Lushombo of the Jesuit School of Theology at Santa Clara University will also participate in the discussion.
Closing remarks will be delivered by Pietro Parolin before Pope Leo XIV offers an address and apostolic blessing.
The release of Magnifica humanitas is expected to mark a major moment in the Catholic Church’s engagement with emerging technology, especially as debates continue worldwide over artificial intelligence, ethics, labor, truth, and the future of humanity.
For many Catholics, the encyclical may become a defining spiritual and moral guide for navigating an increasingly technological world while safeguarding the dignity of every human person created in the image of God.
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