Pope Leo XIV and Christopher Olah, co-founder of the artificial intelligence company Anthropic, are set to launch the pontiff’s first encyclical on May 25. This significant document, titled “Magnifica Humanitas” (Magnificent Humanity), will address the critical issue of human dignity in the era of artificial intelligence, as announced by the Vatican on Monday.

Anthropic, known for prioritizing safety and risk-mitigation in its AI research, plays a crucial role in this event. Olah's presence at the Vatican is particularly noteworthy, signaling a potential new flashpoint between the U.S. pope’s position on AI and the Trump administration. In February, the Trump administration had ordered all U.S. agencies to cease using Anthropic’s AI technology and imposed penalties, citing the company's refusal to grant unrestricted use of its technology to the U.S. military. Anthropic is currently pursuing legal action against the administration, accusing it of illegal retaliation for attempting to impose limits on AI deployment.

Pope Leo XIV has made AI a central priority of his young pontificate, expressing deep concern over its use in warfare and advocating for diligent monitoring of the technology. The launch of “Magnifica Humanitas” is planned as a formal event in the main Vatican auditorium, departing from typical press room presentations. An “all-star cast” will present the document, including two top cardinals: doctrine chief Cardinal Víctor Manuel Fernández and development chief Cardinal Michael Czerny. Christopher Olah will speak among lay presenters, alongside theologians Anna Rowlands and Leocadie Lushombo. Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican secretary of state, will provide a conclusion, followed by Pope Leo XIV’s speech and final blessing.

The encyclical was signed by Pope Leo XIV on May 15, precisely 135 years after his namesake, Pope Leo XIII, signed his seminal encyclical “Rerum Novarum” (Of New Things). That historic document laid the foundation for modern Catholic social thought by addressing workers’ rights, the limitations of capitalism, and the obligations of states and employers during the Industrial Revolution. Pope Leo XIV has drawn parallels between the Industrial Revolution and the current AI revolution, believing both pose similar existential questions, and expects the new encyclical to frame the AI discussion within the church’s broader social teaching on labor, justice, and peace.

Dario Amodei, Anthropic’s chief, along with a group, departed from OpenAI in 2021 to establish Anthropic, citing disagreements with OpenAI chief Sam Altman regarding AI safety. Anthropic committed to a clearer focus on the safety of artificial general intelligence (AGI), which both San Francisco-based firms aim to develop. In a recent website post, Anthropic highlighted concerns about U.S.-China competition in AI and the risks of the technology falling into authoritarian hands. The company emphasized the need for the U.S. and its democratic allies to maintain leadership in AI development and establish rules to prevent its weaponization for repression and surveillance by authoritarian regimes. Earlier this year, privately held Anthropic’s valuation reportedly grew to $380 billion, positioning its chatbot Claude alongside rivals like OpenAI and Elon Musk’s xAI, maker of Grok.