Magnifica Humanitas is receiving extensive praise internationally for its contemplation of the new moral and social implications of artificial intelligence (AI) in our techno-centric world. As a human rights activist, I too was interested to see how this encyclical could affect humans and life. It was a stimulating read, leaving me with abundance of notes.

His Holiness, Pope Leo's first encyclical, Magnicifica Humanitas: On Safeguarding the Human Person in a Time of Artificial Intelligence, was released by Holy See on May 25, 2026 with approximately 42,000 words making 245 numbered paragraphs. After the Introduction, the first two chapters provide scriptural and historical context, establishing continuity with long arc of Catholic Social Teaching. Although chapters three through five address the heart of Pope's concerns, he excessively references previous encyclicals and Catholic social doctrine.

In his encyclical, Pope speaks loudly about the dignity of person, promotion of justice and possibility of fraternity. In the introduction he states that in this age of AI, when human dignity is threatened by new forms of dehumanisation, it is our duty to remain profoundly human.

The Pope does not oppose knowledge and technology, he submits that innovations can serve human development and care of world. However, if power of AI and technology is in the hands of few, it increases the risk of unfair developments that enhance dependencies, exclusions, manipulations and inequalities. He states, "the use of AI is never a purely technical matter: when it enters processes that affect........

© The Express Tribune