Pope Leo XIV released an encyclical on artificial intelligence this week, warning that the technology poses serious ethical risks if left unchecked. The document, titled Veritatis et Machinae, also announces a partnership with the AI company Anthropic, signaling the Vatican’s push to embed moral responsibility into the design and deployment of AI systems.
Why the Vatican stepped in
The encyclical frames AI as more than a technical tool—it’s a moral one. The pope argues that without clear ethical guardrails, AI could deepen inequality, erode privacy, and concentrate power in the hands of a few. The text calls for a framework built on equity and human dignity, not just efficiency or profit.
This isn’t the first time the Catholic Church has waded into tech ethics, but it’s the most direct. The partnership with Anthropic gives the document a concrete industry tie—a company known for its “constitutional AI” approach, which tries to align models with explicit values.
What the partnership means
Anthropic will advise the Vatican on technical aspects of AI safety. In return, the Church lends moral authority to Anthropic’s work. The encyclical doesn’t endorse any single company, but the collaboration is unusual for a papal document. It suggests the Vatican wants hands-on input, not just abstract principles.
Digital assets also get a mention. The encyclical warns that cryptocurrencies and blockchain-based systems can perpetuate the same inequities AI does—unless they’re designed with fairness in mind. The pope calls for “equity by design” in both fields.
Potential ripple effects
Papal encyclicals carry weight far beyond Catholic circles. They’re read by diplomats, ethicists, and sometimes regulators. This one could shape debates at the United Nations and the European Union, where AI laws are still being written. The emphasis on equity might nudge negotiators toward stronger consumer protections.
It’s too early to say whether any government will cite the encyclical in legislation. But the Vatican has a track record of influencing social policy—on climate, on debt relief, on human rights. AI ethics could be next.
The pope didn’t offer a timeline for next steps. For now, the encyclical sits as a marker, a set of principles that tech companies and lawmakers can either adopt or ignore. The partnership with Anthropic gives one concrete pathway; whether others follow is the open question the Church has now placed squarely in front of the world.
