One of the most anticipated events of Pope Leo XIV’s papacy is surely his first encyclical, Magnifica humanitas, on preserving the human person in the age of artificial intelligence.

Set for release May 25, it was signed by the Pope May 15, a highly symbolic date — the anniversary of Pope Leo XIII’s release of Rerum novarum, his landmark encyclical on the rights and duties of capital and labour, addressing the condition of the working class during the Industrial Revolution.

In addition to the Pope, numerous speakers will take part in the Magnifica humanitas presentation: Cardinal Víctor Manuel Fernández, prefect of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith; Cardinal Michael Czerny, SJ, prefect of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development; Professor Anna Rowlands, theologian and professor at Durham University in the United Kingdom; Christopher Olah, co-founder of Anthropic and head of research on the interpretability of artificial intelligence; and Professor Leocadie Lushombo, IT, professor of political theology and Catholic social thought at the Jesuit School of Theology at Santa Clara University in California.

Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin will offer closing remarks, followed by an address and blessing by Pope Leo XIV.

Perhaps most surprising in that lineup is the inclusion of Christopher Olah. Although a co-founder of Anthropic, his name may not feature in public discussion of artificial intelligence as prominently as fellow co-founder Dario Amodei. Yet it is the company itself that may be the bigger story.

Anthropic has staked much of its reputation on building guardrails into increasingly powerful AI models. It has also become embroiled in a high-profile standoff with the Trump administration over the use of advanced AI tools in warfare and surveillance.

Particularly visible was the clash involving U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, which reportedly led to Anthropic being labelled a “supply chain risk.” Hegseth reportedly accused the company of being led by an “ideological lunatic.” According to reports, the Trump administration sought broad access to Anthropic’s most advanced AI systems for unrestricted lawful use, including autonomous weapons and domestic surveillance applications.

Despite the public clash, reports suggest Anthropic’s tools have nevertheless been used by the Pentagon and branches of the U.S. military, including in operations connected to Venezuela and Iran.

Magnifica humanitas will almost certainly address the role of AI in warfare, and Olah will likely speak to that issue during the presentation of the encyclical.

As for Pope Leo XIV personally presenting his own encyclical, that too is unusual. In recent decades, papal encyclicals have generally been presented publicly by cardinals or Vatican officials rather than by the Pope himself. The format chosen for the release of Magnifica humanitas virtually guarantees wide international coverage.

As Father James Martin, SJ, consultor to the Dicastery for Communication, noted on X in commentary about the upcoming encyclical, “as someone who studied mathematics, Pope Leo XIV has perhaps a firmer grasp on this issue (artificial intelligence) than some might imagine of a pope.”

Martin ended his lengthy post with this observation: “Finally, like ‘Laudato Si,’ which recast the issue of climate change as not simply a scientific and social one, but a spiritual one, ‘Magnifica humanitas’ may do the same for AI, helping the Church and the world see this pressing topic from a spiritual vantage point and also, as ‘Laudato Si’ did, in a systematic way.”

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