Magnifica Humanitas (on Safeguarding The Human Person In The Time Of Artificial Intelligence)

By (author) XIV, Pope Leo; Foreword by Brooks, Arthur C
Description:

Pope Leo XIV''s opening statement to the world, offering a bold and urgent vision of what it means to be human in modern times and the coming age of artificial intelligence.

‘The strongest way of looking at AI I''ve seen’ RORY STEWART

‘A remarkable case for placing moral concerns at the centre of any discussion of AI’ THE NEW YORKER

‘Beautifully written, hugely significant, speaks truth to power’ ALASTAIR CAMPBELL

AI is transforming work, creativity, communication, politics and the fabric of our daily lives. Yet the deepest questions it raises are moral, not technological: What does it mean to be human? What is progress for? And what must never be surrendered to the machine?

In his landmark first encyclical, Pope Leo XIV draws on the rich tradition of Catholic social
teaching to explore the questions at the heart of the AI revolution. Calling for a future in which innovation serves human dignity rather than diminishes it, he offers a compelling vision for technology in service of humanity.

Delivered at the outset of what many consider to be the next technological revolution, this landmark text addresses contemporary challenge of safeguarding our humanity in the dawning era of Artificial Intelligence at the beginning of his papacy.

Neither fearful nor naïve, this is a clear-eyed invitation to think more deeply about the world we are building - and the human beings we are becoming.

Review quote:
The first attempt for a very significant global public figure to make the moral case for how we should think about AI, bringing with him hundreds of millions of Catholics and articulating things that resonate, not just with Christians, but with many, many people... the strongest way of looking at AI I''ve seen.
Review quote:
Presents a remarkable case for placing moral concerns, and not profit, or competitive advantage, or efficiency, at the center of any discussion of artificial intelligence.
Review quote:
How grateful I am to this leader of kindness for explaining to us—and even warning us—what it means to be human, not only now but also for future generations.
Biographical note:

Pope Leo XIV (Author)
Pope Leo XIV was born Robert Francis Prevost in the South Side of Chicago in 1955, the son of a superintendent and a librarian. After studying mathematics at Villanova University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, he made solemn vows in the Order of St Augustine and was ordained a priest in Rome in 1982. He served as the Prior General in the Order of Saint Augustine, was consecrated bishop in 2014 and was made cardinal in 2023. On 8 May 2025, he was elected to the papacy.

Arthur C Brooks (Foreword By)
Arthur C. Brooks is a professor at Harvard Kennedy School and Harvard Business School, where he teaches courses on happiness and leadership. He is the creator of the popular ‘How to Build a Life’ column at The Atlantic, an acclaimed public speaker and the author of numerous bestselling books, including Build the Life You Want (co-authored with Oprah Winfrey), From Strength to Strength and Love Your Enemies.