Pope Leo XIV is preparing to issue his first encyclical, 'Magnifica Humanitas', on 25 May, addressing the implications of artificial intelligence for human dignity.

The Vatican has announced that the launch will feature Christopher Olah, co-founder of the AI company Anthropic, alongside leading theologians and Vatican cardinals.This collaboration underscores the pope's prioritisation of AI ethics, particularly concerning its use in warfare.

The encyclical draws parallels between the challenges posed by AI today and those of the Industrial Revolution, which were addressed in Pope Leo XIII's 1891 encyclical, 'Rerum Novarum'.

Anthropic has been in conflict with the Trump administration after refusing to grant unrestricted military access to its AI technology, resulting in sanctions and ongoing legal action.

Pope Leo's presentation is unusually prominent, moving from the standard press room to the main Vatican auditorium with significant participation from cardinals and lay experts.The encyclical is expected to situate AI within the Church's social teachings, exploring its impact on labour, justice, and global ethics.

Anthropic, co-founded by former OpenAI staff, focuses on developing safe artificial general intelligence and has recently grown in valuation to $380 billion, competing with other leading AI enterprises.