Artificial Intelligence, Leo XIV and the Church's Social Doctrine

In a world marked by dizzying technological advances, artificial intelligence (AI) is emerging as a powerful tool that transforms society, the economy and human relationships. Is AI a gift of human creativity that can glorify God in the service of the common good, or a danger that threatens the dignity of the person?

The Social Doctrine of the Church (SDC), rooted in the Gospel and developed over the centuries, offers a prophetic light for discerning and guiding this "digital revolution". As Pope Leo XIV stated in his first address to the cardinals on May 10, 2025, "advances in artificial intelligence pose new challenges for the defense of human dignity, justice and work." Inspired by Leo XIII, who responded to the Industrial Revolution by Rerum Novarum (1891), Leo XIV has prioritized AI as the "new social question," calling for an ethical response that integrates Catholic faith with technological innovation.

This article aims to synthesize some of the Church's teachings on AI, following the principles of the SDC. Enriched with recent documents such as Antiqua et nova (2025), Pope Francis' 2024 World Day of Peace Message, and the reflections of Leo XIV, explores the definition of AI, its context, applicable moral principles and some practical recommendations. The DSI does not impose rigid rules, but offers universal principles-human dignity, common good, solidarity and subsidiarity-and values-truth, freedom, justice and love-to guide its responsible use. At a time when AI permeates everyday life, from personalized recommendations to medical diagnoses, the Church invites us to a profound reflection so that this technology may serve man and not enslave him.

What is Artificial Intelligence?

AI is a man-made technology that mimics functions of human intelligence, such as reasoning, learning and decision making. Based on mathematical algorithms and machine learning models, it processes large volumes of data to identify patterns, make predictions and execute autonomous tasks. As explained by Antiqua et novaAI does not possess intelligence in the human sense - which includes soul, emotions and moral capacity - but operates functionally, mimicking cognitive processes without genuine consciousness.

Everyday examples include assistants like ChatGPT or Grok, which synthesize information in seconds; personalized recommendations at Netflix or Amazon; chatbots at companies like BBVA; and social network analysis by brands like Coca-Cola. For example, an assistant like ChatGPT can summarize the Bible or write a poem in the style of Lope de Vega in seconds. 

AI use is growing exponentially. A study by GAD-3 (2025) indicates that 85% of teens use AI at least once a week. In addition, a Microsoft report (2024) notes that AI use has grown from 55% in 2023 to 75% in 2024, with organizations employing generative AI often to optimize processes, products, and sales. In medicine, AI accelerates diagnoses; in education, it generates multilingual content; in science, it analyzes data to combat hunger or climate change.

However, AI makes mistakes - such as confusions or generating false information - and does not replace human judgment. As it warns Antiqua et novaIts morality depends on human choices: "Like any product of human creativity, AI can be directed toward positive or negative ends. This distinction is crucial, since AI is not neutral: its design and application reflect human values, and the Church calls us to orient it toward the good.

Historical Context: From the Industrial to the Digital Revolution

The Industrial Revolution (18th-19th centuries) transformed production with innovations such as the steam engine, multiplying productivity, but generated inequalities and unemployment. Leo XIII responded with Rerum Novarumdefending the dignity of the worker and promoting social justice based on biblical principles and the teachings of Jesus.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is unleashing a revolution of global scope, comparable to, or even greater than, the Industrial Revolution, transforming both the world and the mission of the Church. For example, a 2023 World Economic Forum study predicts that AI will automate 25% of global jobs, reducing costs in some sectors by 30-40%, but may generate greater inequalities. Pope Leo XIV links it to digital "new things," comparing it to the Industrial Revolution.

This transformation raises a crucial question: is AI simply an incremental advance or a qualitative change? The current consensus points to the latter: AI introduces a fundamental difference by mimicking human reasoning, marking a new category in society. As Pope Francis described, we are facing an "epochal change," a true revolution, which calls for a profound ethical reflection to orient its immense potential towards the common good and the glory of God. In his Message for the 2024 World Day of Peace, Pope Francis emphasized that AI can promote peace if it is oriented toward the common good, but warns against its misuse in conflict or discrimination.

The Church values AI for its potential in science, medicine and equity, but insists that every advance must serve human dignity. Tools such as Magisterium AI synthesize ecclesial teachings, illustrating how AI can evangelize and spread the Gospel to new audiences.

Leo XIV to the AI Revolution

Pope Leo XIV, elected Roman Pontiff on May 8, 2025, has emphasized the role of AI in his magisterium from the outset. Choosing his name in reference to Leo XIII is no accident: he seeks to respond to the "new things" of our time, such as the digital revolution, with the same boldness and "prophetic spirit" that his predecessor faced the industrial one. In his first address to the cardinals, Leo XIV declared: "Advances in artificial intelligence pose new challenges for the defense of human dignity, justice and work," underscoring the need for moral guidance that puts the human being at the center.

In his message to participants at the Second Annual Conference on AI on June 17, 2025, the Pope expanded on this vision: "Your presence testifies to the urgent need for serious reflection and ongoing dialogue on the inherent ethical dimension of AI, as well as its implications for the future of humanity." Here, Leo XIV emphasized that AI must be governed ethically, promoting inclusive development that respects the dignity of every person. Furthermore, in a message to corporate leaders in AI on June 20, 2025, he stated, "Intelligence does not consist in accumulating data, but in seeking the true meaning of life, not in having heaps of information." This phrase highlights his concern about a technocratic approach that forgets the spiritual.

Leo XIV has repeatedly called for an international treaty to regulate AI, ensuring that its ends are oriented to the common good, justice and peace, with human supervision ever present. Rumors of an encyclical entitled Rerum Digitalium suggest that it will delve deeper into these issues, in the spirit of the Rerum Novarum. His early legacy positions the Church as a global moral voice in this revolution, insisting that "human dignity must never be violated in the name of efficiency." Thus, Leo XIV not only warns of risks, but proposes an ethic that integrates Christian values into the design of AI.

Principles of the Social Doctrine of the Church Applied to IA

The ISD offers four universal principles and four values to guide AI, ensuring that it is "authentic progress". For any technological development, advance or innovation to represent authentic progress it must cooperate with the dignity of the person and the common good. The principles of Catholic social thought, derived from the Gospel and the magisterium, are applied to AI to balance innovation with human ethics. A full presentation can be found in the 2004 Compendium of the DSI. These principles are detailed below, including specific examples and relevant quotations.

1. Dignity of the Human PersonThis fundamental principle affirms that the human being, created in the image of God (Gen 1:27), is an end in itself, not a means to technological or economic ends. In the context of AI, it implies that machines should serve man, not degrade him. For example, in the workplace, AI can automate repetitive tasks, freeing up time for creative activities, but it should not reduce workers to disposable "cogs". Antiqua et nova emphasizes that human intelligence belongs to the whole person, differentiating it from functional AI, which lacks soul or empathy. In healthcare, AI can diagnose accurately, but it must be complemented by human compassion, respecting informed consent and the inviolability of the patient. AI should not "create a substitute for God," but respect inherent dignity.
2. Common GoodIt refers to the set of social conditions that allow the integral development of all, including the universal destination of goods. AI should promote equitable access to resources, preventing it from benefiting only elites. For example, in education, it can generate personalized content for underdeveloped regions, but if it is concentrated in the hands of corporations, it will aggravate digital inequalities. Francis' Message for Peace in 2024 stresses that "technologies that do not improve the quality of life of all humanity, but aggravate inequalities, are not true progress". This aligns with the preferential option for the poor, where AI could innovate in agriculture to combat hunger, but only if it is oriented to the good of all and of the whole man.
3. SolidarityRecognizing human interdependence as a family created by God, this principle urges us to care for the vulnerable. Applied to AI, it implies fostering inclusive tools that connect people, not isolate through fictitious relationships (chatbots as emotional "companions"). In an individualistic world, AI can simulate empathy, but it does not replace authentic connections. Jesus told us that we will be judged by love: "Whatever you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to me" (Mt 25:40). Pope Francis emphasized that how we use AI to include those most in need will be the true measure of our humanity. In global contexts, solidarity demands that AI helps poor nations, promoting fraternity and social justice.
4. SubsidiarityThis principle advocates solving problems at the most local level possible, scaling up only when necessary, to respect the autonomy of individuals and communities. In AI, it implies balanced regulations: local for community innovations (educational apps in parishes), and global for transnational risks such as cybersecurity. Leo XIV has called for coordinated global governance for AI, but based on subsidiarity, ensuring that power is not centralized in states or corporations. For example, parents should freely choose AI educational tools, without state impositions.

The four values The fundamental principles of the DSI-truth, freedom, justice and love-reinforce the principles of human dignity, common good, solidarity and subsidiarity, offering moral guidance for the ethical use of AI. 

I. The truth is essential to counter disinformation, such as deepfakes, which generate false content capable of polarizing societies, damaging reputations or manipulating elections. The DSI requires AI to be programmed to verify data and promote truthfulness, avoiding lies that erode social trust, as the DSI Compendium underlines: "Truth is the basis of a coherent society. 

II. The freedomThe freedom of algorithms, a sign of human dignity, protects against algorithmic coercion that manipulates decisions, such as when AI predicts behaviors to direct consumption or limit personal choices. Defending freedom means ensuring that algorithms respect human autonomy, without falling into forms of technological control reminiscent of totalitarianism. 

III. The justice demands decent working conditions in the face of mass automation, which threatens to eliminate millions of jobs. AI must support fair wages and working environments that respect the dignity of the worker. Rerum Novarumwork must be remunerated in such a way as to enable man to live with dignity. 

IV. Finally, the lovewhich transcends technical efficiency, incorporating mercy and forgiveness, values that no machine can replicate. St. John Paul II taught that love is the supreme value of Catholic social morality, and AI must serve this charity, promoting mercy, fraternity and compassion, especially toward those most in need. These values ensure that AI not only optimizes processes, but builds a "civilization of love" aligned with the Gospel.

DSI Principle	Detailed Description	Application to AI	Relevant Quote
Human Dignity	Human being as an end, not a means; body-soul integrity.	Supervision in vital decisions; no downgrading of work.	"AI must serve humanity while respecting the unique dignity of each individual."
Common Good	Conditions for the development of all; universal destination of goods.	Equitable access; inclusive innovations.	"Technological developments that aggravate inequalities can never be counted as true progress."
Solidarity	Interdependence and care of the vulnerable.	Global inclusion; avoiding digital isolation.	"We are called to act responsibly and respect fundamental human values."
Subsidiarity	Local solutions first; scale up if necessary.	Balanced regulation; community autonomy.	"It is unfair (...) to transfer to a larger community what the smaller ones can accomplish."

Application of the Principles to Specific Issues

The DSI illuminates key issues, applying its principles to concrete AI challenges. The dignity of the human person is threatened when AI fosters unrealistic relationships, such as robots or chatbots that simulate empathy but do not replace authentic connections, leading to isolation in an individualistic digital culture. 

Work, an expression of dignity (Gen 2:15), could be dehumanized by massive automation, losing jobs and reducing man to a means of efficiency; the Church defends dignified employment that allows for personal development. 

The right to privacy is violated with predictive data analysis, where AI anticipates behaviors for commercial purposes, invading privacy and treating the human as an object. 

The common good is put at risk when AI aggravates social inequalities, concentrating in the hands of the powerful few and leaving the vulnerable behind, rather than promoting solidarity and justice. 

Finally, truth is eroded by lies and deepfakes, generating disinformation that polarizes societies and damages reputations, demanding ethical programming that prioritizes truthfulness. These issues underscore that AI must be ordered to man, not the other way around, guided by the ISD for authentic progress.

Ethical Risks and Challenges

AI offers great advances such as the liberation from repetitive tasks, innovations in agriculture and education, and the promotion of fraternity if used ethically. All of these can alleviate suffering, promote integral development and end wars. However, the risks of AI are multifaceted, affecting dignity, society and peace. 

Antiqua et nova and Leo XIV's interventions highlight some challenges in education, economics and health. The main dangers include algorithmic biases that perpetuate discrimination, disinformation via deepfakes that foster polarization, loss of privacy with mass surveillance, mass unemployment that destabilizes families, lethal autonomous weapons that allow machines to decide deaths in violation of dignity, and fictitious relationships that aggravate loneliness. The Church warns that AI can "aggravate conflicts" if not ethically designed and urges moral responsibility at all levels to mitigate these risks through human oversight.

Conclusion

In sum, AI represents an epochal change that the ISD illuminates with permanent and universal principles, reminding us that technology is a human gift subordinate to God, the source of all wisdom (cf. 1 Cor 1:24). Expanding on these principles, we see that human dignity demands that AI be an ally, not a substitute; the common good urges global equity; solidarity fosters inclusion; and subsidiarity balances regulations. Risks - disinformation, unemployment, autonomous weapons - demand ethical vigilance, while some benefits such as medical advances invite cautious hope.

As Catholics, we are called to action: forming our conscience with the DSI, using resources such as DoCat, advocating for international treaties, and using AI to evangelize and serve the poor. Intelligence is not about accumulating data, but about seeking the true meaning of life. 

Catholic parishes, schools and families can adopt tools like Magisterium AI to enrich catechesis, while participating in local forums to advocate for ethical AI. Forming our conscience in DSI empowers us to transform this digital revolution into an opportunity for evangelization and service to those most in need.

In a world tempted by the idolatry of thinking that AI can bring eternal salvation, let us remember that only in God do we find true salvation and only Christ quenches our infinite thirst for love and happiness (cf. Ps. 63:2). May AI impel us to build the "civilization of love," where technology and faith converge in fraternity. God, the eternal Logos, the eternal Intelligence, invites us to love through all creation. May this revolution of AI and digital culture help us to build a better world, more human and in solidarity, and lead us to love and give glory to God.