Pope Leo XIV released the encyclical *Magnifica Humanitas* on May 15, 2026, framing the Church’s response to rapid digital transformation. He links the historic *Rerum Novarum* legacy to today’s “new things,” urging believers to shape technology for the common good rather than let it become a modern Tower of Babel. The document positions faith as a guide for societal engineering.

The text revisits the foundations of the Church’s social doctrine, emphasizing the equal dignity of every person, the universal destination of goods, and the principle of subsidiarity. It argues that AI must be treated as a tool requiring transparency, responsibility, and governance, warning against transhumanist narratives that could erode the human person’s intrinsic worth. It also stresses the need for robust data ethics frameworks.

Leo XIV calls for an “educational alliance” that places schools at the forefront of digital literacy, stresses the dignity of work amid automation, and urges a renewed commitment to multilateral diplomacy to prevent an arms race in autonomous weapons. By framing these issues as moral, the encyclical seeks concrete policy input from governments and tech firms. The Pope’s appeal links moral teaching to technology policy.