The Pope has moral power but won't set the global agenda on AI

The lever of capital, and the institutions that control it at scale, may be our era’s most important and least understood governance actors

In his first encyclical, 'Magnifica Humanitas', Pope Leo warns that AI without guardrails risks subjugating humankind; with safety measures, it can ensure that humanity thrives. File Picture: Gregorio Borgia/AP

Pope Leo XIV has now weighed in on the most pressing issue of our time: The advent of AI and the recognition that humanity’s technological capability is advancing faster than the institutions designed to govern it. 

In his first encyclical, Magnifica Humanitas, Leo warns that AI without guardrails risks subjugating humankind; with safety measures, it can ensure that humanity thrives.