Pope Leo XIV warns of 'new forms of slavery' linked to Artificial Intelligence

Pope Leo XIV on Monday warned about the "new forms of slavery" behind artificial intelligence, from content moderators to miners, and called for greater regulation.

"If technology promises emancipation, yet produces new forms of global subordination, it stands in contradiction to the fundamental principle of human dignity. The fight against new forms of slavery is a decisive test for the ethical discernment of AI," the pope wrote in the encyclical "Magnifica Humanitas" (Magnificent Humanity).

The pontiff also called for AI to be "disarmed" and made "human-friendly" in a major text on the ethical challenges raised by the boom of the new technology.

Pope Leo XIV warned against "a race for ever more powerful algorithms and larger datasets, driven by the desire to secure geopolitical or commercial dominance."

The comments come after the pontiff marked Pentecost on Sunday with a plea for peace, praying that humanity might be saved “from the evil of war."

"Let's pray that it may free humanity from misery, which is redeemed not by incalculable wealth, but by an inexhaustible gift," said the pontiff during the mass.

The service, which marks the 50th day after Catholic Easter, was celebrated in St Peter’s Basilica in the presence of more than 5,000 worshippers.

"Dearest friends, with ardent hearts, let's pray today that the Spirit of the Risen One may save us from the evil of war, which is overcome not by a superpower but by the Omnipotence of love. Let's pray that He may free humanity from misery, which is redeemed not by incalculable wealth but by an inexhaustible gift."

The pope warned that some changes "do not bring new life to the world, but make it grow old through error and violence."

By contrast, he said, "The Holy Spirit enlightens minds and instils new vitality in our hearts."

His words tally with recent sermons and comments regarding the current state of the world, particularly when the Trump administration in April attempted to portray its military operation in Iran as a "just war" supported by divine power.