Pope Leo XIV has approved the creation of a new Vatican commission focused on artificial intelligence, signaling the Church’s growing attention to the ethical and social questions surrounding rapidly advancing technology.

The document announcing this decision, signed by Cardinal Michael Czerny, Prefect of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, explained that the Holy Father approved the formation of an Interdicasterial Commission on Artificial Intelligence in response to the increasing influence of AI and its potential impact on humanity.

The Vatican stated that the Church’s concern centers on safeguarding human dignity and promoting the integral development of every person as artificial intelligence becomes more widespread in daily life, labor, education, and communication.

For its first year, the commission’s work will be coordinated by the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development. The body will bring together representatives from seven Vatican institutions, including the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, the Dicastery for Culture and Education, the Dicastery for Communication, the Pontifical Academy for Life, the Pontifical Academy of Sciences, and the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences.

The commission is intended to encourage collaboration between these offices as they study the opportunities and dangers connected to artificial intelligence. According to the Vatican, the coordinating institution will oversee communication among members, assist in shaping policies regarding AI use within the Holy See, and promote dialogue and cooperation across the Church.

The creation of the commission follows earlier Vatican efforts to address the moral and philosophical implications of emerging technologies. In January 2025, the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith and the Dicastery for Culture and Education jointly released Antiqua et Nova, a document examining the relationship between artificial intelligence and human intelligence.

Artificial intelligence has remained a consistent theme during Pope Leo XIV’s pontificate. Shortly after his election, the Holy Father explained that his choice of the name Leo was inspired in part by Pope Leo XIII, whose encyclical Rerum Novarum addressed the challenges brought about by the industrial revolution.

Pope Leo XIV has repeatedly emphasized that the Church’s social teaching must continue guiding discussions on labor, justice, and human dignity as artificial intelligence reshapes modern society.