The article discusses Pope Leo XIV’s warning about the societal risks posed by artificial intelligence, particularly when controlled by profit-driven corporations and lacking democratic oversight.

In his encyclical Magnifica Humanitas, the Pope argues that widespread automation could lead to mass unemployment, social instability, and a loss of human dignity.He emphasizes that work is not merely a means of income but a central element of human identity, community participation, and personal fulfillment.A society that excludes large portions of its population from meaningful work, he warns, risks cultural and social decline.The piece highlights growing concerns beyond religious circles, noting that financial markets are also anticipating disruption.

Prediction platforms suggest a significant احتمال of rising unemployment in the United States before 2030, with AI increasingly seen as a major driver of job losses across sectors such as customer service, journalism, logistics, and even professional fields like law and medicine.Pope Leo critiques the prevailing narrative in Silicon Valley that technological progress is inherently beneficial.

He argues that AI, when embedded in an economic system focused on profit maximization, may deepen inequality and concentrate power among a small technological elite.

The article also introduces the concept of “digital colonialism,” where human data becomes a resource exploited by corporations to predict and influence behavior at scale.Drawing on a moral framework inspired in part by literary themes from J.R.R.Tolkien, the Pope calls for reclaiming human-centered values in the development and governance of technology.

He frames AI not as an inevitable force but as a tool that must be guided by ethical principles, democratic accountability, and a commitment to the common good.

The article ultimately presents AI as a transformative force that could either benefit society broadly or exacerbate existing inequalities, depending on how it is managed.