#encyclical

Da Pope has dropped an #encyclical. An encyclical is a pastoral letter issued by the #Pope. Historically encyclicals serve as a key instrument of the Pope’s ordinary magisterium to guide the faithful on matters of faith, morals, devotion, or social discipline, they are generally not infallible pronouncements ex cathedra. I’m still reading and digesting, but a quick skim suggests that this is the biggest thing to drop from the #Vatican in my lifetime. There’s, #AI, there’s transhumanism, there’s social contract, he apologizes for the Church’s blind eye to #slavery, he declared that “just war” is no longer a thing…in a change of policy held since the Crusades. He calls for #OpenSource, he quotes #Tolkien. (I like Da Pope.) There’s a lot. You can read it here. It’s gonna take me a while to map it all out. https://www.vatican.va/content/leo-xiv/en/encyclicals/documents/20260515-magnifica-humanitas.html

PBS NewsHour - The Latest | Pope calls for robust regulation of AI in manifesto that ponders the future of humanity by Nicole Winfield, Associated Press, Kaitlyn Huamani, Associated Press, Paolo Santalucia, Associated Press AI generated summary, Read the full article for complete information. Pope Leo XIV, the first U.S.‑born pontiff, released his inaugural encyclical “Magnifica Humanitas” urging strong, legally binding regulation of artificial intelligence and insisting that developers prioritize the common good over profit. He condemned the “culture of power” driving an AI arms race, declared it unacceptable to entrust irreversible lethal decisions to machines, and warned that the concentration of data and algorithmic power threatens children, the vulnerable, and the dignity of work. Drawing on Catholic social teaching and the legacy of “Rerum Novarum,” the pope called for transparent oversight, independent review, informed users and political responsibility, urging a moral framework that is not dictated by a few corporations. The document, hailed by tech, academic and religious leaders as a potential benchmark, also featured dialogue with Anthropic’s co‑founder, emphasizing the need for broader civil‑society participation to steer AI toward serving humanity rather than degrading it. Read more: https://www.pbs.org/newshour/world/pope-calls-for-robust-regulation-of-ai-in-manifesto-that-ponders-the-future-of-humanity #PopeLeo #Vatican #CatholicChurch #artificialintelligence #encyclical #LeoXIV