The announcement came a day after Pope Leo signed his encyclical, a letter drawn up by the pontiff and sent to bishops to provide instructions or guidance on moral questions.
His new encyclical, which should be made public in coming weeks, is expected to consider the question of AI within the church’s social teaching, which also covers issues such as labor, justice and peace.
It’s not the first time Pope Leo has waded into questions of AI. Just a few days after he was elected in May 2025, he told cardinals that the Catholic Church owed it to the world to offer the “treasury of its social teaching” to confront the challenges posed by AI on “human dignity, justice and labor.”
In June 2025, Pope Leo criticized the potential negative consequences of growing AI use. After noting AI’s potential for good, the pope said there is a possibility for “misuse for selfish gain” and as a way to “foment conflict and aggression.”
“All of us, I am sure, are concerned for children and young people, and the possible consequences of the use of AI on their intellectual and neurological development. Our youth must be helped, and not hindered, in their journey towards maturity and true responsibility,” the pontiff said.
