Why the Pope worries AI could erode genuine human connection

As the world grappled with the fallout of industrialization, Pope Leo XIII issued his famous encyclical Rerum Novarum where he insisted that the gains of the new industrial economy should not come at the cost of the dignity of working people. Exactly one hundred thirty-five years later, Pope Leo XIV used the first encyclical of his pontificate, Magnifica Humanitas (“Magnificent Humanity”), to reiterate this message as the world grapples with the fallout of rapid technological change.

Humans vs. AI

The Pope sees a fundamental distinction between AI and humanity, arguing that AI tools

do not undergo experiences, do not possess a body, do not feel joy or pain, do not mature through relationships and do not know from within what love, work, friendship or responsibility mean. Nor do they have a moral conscience, since they do not judge good and evil, grasp the ultimate meaning of situations, or bear responsibility for consequences.

The problem is that many people aren’t aware of these limitations. When an AI gives them an answer, there’s a good chance they’ll take it at face value. As the Pope notes, this veneer of authority can lead people to “overlook the fact that [AI systems] reflect the cultural assumptions of those who designed and trained them, with all their strengths and limitations.” 

In a similar vein, he worries that AI’s ability to create the illusion of friendship, intimacy, or love could leave us even more isolated. Humans are messy creatures, and even the best relationships will be leavened with grief and pain. Conversely, AIs will tell you what you want to hear, when you want to hear it, and never make demands in return (this phenomenon is so widespread that researchers have even coined a name for it: sycophantic AI). For the vulnerable among us, that can be a tempting proposition. As the Pope put it,

the danger is not so much that a person may believe they are communicating with another person, but rather that they may gradually lose the very desire to form genuine human connections.

The importance of accountability

To minimize the potential harms of AI, the Pope emphasizes the importance of accountability. “It is not enough to invoke ethics in the abstract; robust legal frameworks, independent oversight, informed users and a political system that does not abdicate its responsibility are required.” Leo also calls for open discussion about the ethical frameworks used to shape the AI in order to avoid a situation where these powerful tools only reflect the morals of a narrow, technological elite. 

At one point, he addresses AI developers directly, arguing that they have a unique ethical and spiritual responsibility.

Just as the creator of an artistic or literary work must consider the values it conveys, so developers are called to embed values in their projects with due seriousness: with transparency, responsibility toward affected communities and careful attention to ensuring that what is being cultivated is a genuine good.

A warm reception

Overall, the encyclical was broadly welcomed. The reception from other faith communities was particularly positive (see, for example, these Anglican, Orthodox Jewish, Greek Orthodox, and Lutheran responses). However, Derek Schuurman, a computer science professor at Calvin University, lamented that the Pope didn’t spend more time discussing the positives of AI or provide specific guidance to help developers follow Leo’s injunction to create human-centric AI, and Jay Kranda of Saddleback Church thought the Pope was too negative about AI. 

Perhaps unsurprisingly, reaction from the tech world was more mixed. Technologist Jeremy Nixon accused the Vatican of a fundamental misunderstanding of AI, while the venture capitalist David Sacks agreed with the Pope that AI must serve human dignity but also expressed concern that attempts to regulate it could lead to Orwellian censorship regimes.

Looking to the future

A cynic might dismiss Leo’s encyclical as well-intentioned, pie-in-the-sky thinking. In a perfect world, the nations of the world band together to agree on a common set of norms governing AI development, but that seems highly unlikely given the fractious state of international affairs. Even if some countries managed to align on AI regulations, technology’s ready ability to hop borders could render their efforts moot. Developers could achieve similar results by voluntarily prioritizing the long-term common good over short-term profits, but history suggests that companies often struggle to do the right thing when it affects their bottom line. 

In such an environment, it can be tempting to throw up one’s hands in despair. But it’s worth reflecting on a quote from J. R. R. Tolkien that the Pope included in the encyclical: “It is not our part to master all the tides of the world, but to do what is in us for the succour of those years wherein we are set, uprooting the evil in the fields that we know, so that those who live after may have clean earth to till.” We might not be able to fix everything, but that doesn’t mean we can’t fix anything. 

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