Comments on Magnifica Humanitas and the Church's Social Doctrine

The issue of how to effectively but responsibly use AI is critical. The first encyclical of Pope Leo XIV, Magnifica Humanitas, explores this question through the lens of Saint John Paul II’s Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church. In the Social Doctrine, Saint John Paul II emphasized the uniqueness and dignity of the human being and spirit: “Every political, economic, social, scientific and cultural programme must be inspired by the awareness of the primacy of each human being over society[248].” That is to say, “The human person, must always be understood in his unrepeatable and inviolable uniqueness…whose unique life experiences, comparable to those of no one else, underlie the inadmissibility of any attempt to reduce his status by forcing him into preconceived categories or power systems, whether ideological or otherwise.” The notion of the “inviolable” and “unrepeatable” person centers much of Pope Leo XIV’s Magnifica as he explains the perils of AI misuse and overreliance.

For instance, AI copies human emotions, habits, and actions but does not possess a consciousness or know “compassion, mercy, forgiveness, and above all, the hope that people are able to change.” Without a moral compass, AI often perpetuates harm, stereotypes, bias and stigma. The reality is that AI technologies (i.e., Facebook/Meta, X, Google, Palantir, Ximilar, Tik Tok, Instagram) mirror long standing inequalities, such as emerging patterns of digital redlining, data pollution, and algorithmic colonialism. Transparent and accountable digital privacy laws, plus enhanced social protections for the disenfranchised, historically underrepresented, and marginalized are needed at all levels of policymaking.

As Saint John Paul II reminded us “a just society can become a reality only when it is based on the respect of the transcendent dignity of the human person.” The “transcendent dignity” of humankind exists as part of a larger ecosystem of critical consciousness alongside respect for the environment, free will, co-creation, and human agency. Catholic Social Teaching provides us with the framework for upholding human rights and collective responsibilities, particularly when addressing systemic inequality. This includes collaborating with federal, state, and local lawmakers to support affordable housing programs, quality education assistance initiatives, specialized telehealth services for the elderly and disabled, and asylum support for those fleeing persecution. AI will not fulfill these responsibilities. Rather, as global citizens, especially as Catholics, we are urged to participate, educate, inform and intervene for the welfare of each other, peace, and God’s environment.