Pope Leo XIV on AI: Part 1
Private Greed versus Public Good
“Humanity, created by God in all its grandeur, is today facing a pivotal choice: either to construct a new Tower of Babel or to build the city in which God and humanity dwell together. Each generation inherits the task of shaping its own era, of guiding history to become a place where the dignity of every person is safeguarded, justice is promoted and fraternity is made possible. Yet every era also runs the risk of creating an inhumane and more unjust world.”1
This is how Pope Leo XIV began his May 25th encyclical, “Magnifica Humanitas” (Magnificent Humanity) focused on Artificial Intelligence (AI).1
So, what is AI, and how will it affect my job?
AI describes computer programs capable of performing tasks that require human intelligence. AI systems use algorithms and massive datasets to “learn”. The systems are able to recognize patterns, understand language, solve problems, and make decisions.
In his encyclical, the Pontiff noted that corporations use AI in “the pursuit of greater profits that cannot justify choices that systematically sacrifice jobs.“2
AI translates human thoughts and actions into digital machines to cheapen production costs by replacing workers with AI-powered machines. An AI-run robot is the answer to a factory owner’s prayers as it: runs 24/7 without breaks, vacations, or sick days; does not need light to see what it is doing; and does not demand better wages or the right to organize. The first industrial robot was installed in an auto plant in Ewing Township, New Jersey, in 1961. It was designed to extract and stack auto parts from a hot molten die, eliminating a dangerous job. Compared to this robot, AI is light-years more advanced.
AI is transforming work today right before our eyes, replacing “white collar” jobs, including knowledge workers, far more rapidly than the replacement of “blue collar” workers by robots.
AI is not only changing how we work, but it is also changing who we are and how we relate to each other. It is offering humankind the chance to replace the “old” world – Capitalism – with a “new” – Share-and-Share-Alike Socialism.
The “old” world is based upon private ownership by the capitalist class of factories, banks, media and AI itself. In the Capitalist system, the working class, the 99%, produce the world’s wealth that the capitalist class, the less than 1%, steals as personal profit.3 Capitalism is the drive to maximize profits, which, of necessity, means decreased wages and increased exploitation of working people.3
Pontiff points out the dangers of AI in the “old” world when he writes,
“AI tends to amplify the power of those who already possess economic resources, expertise, and access to data. Small but highly influential groups can shape information and consumption patterns, influence democratic processes and steer economic dynamics to their own advantage, undermining social justice and solidarity among peoples.”2
AI is also opening up a path towards a just and peaceful “new” world. It is creating the basis for a system based upon cooperation and respect, Share-and-Share-Alike Socialism – From each according to their ability, to each according to their needs. The key is the end to private ownership of AI. It should be owned by the public and used for the benefit of all people equally. Not for the enrichment of a few.
Pope Leo XIV teaches about the fight for a “new” world using the story of Nehemiah’s rebuilding of Jerusalem. “The narrative shows how the city is reborn, not through the initiative of one man, but through the shared responsibility of all: men, women, priests, artisans, heads of households, and young people all play a part. It is an undertaking with God at the center, which rebuilds relationships before rebuilding with stones. Thus, ancient Jerusalem rediscovers a common language — not one of uniformity, but one of communion, namely the harmony that arises when all persons assume their own role and recognize that their strength comes from the Lord.”1
This is Share-and-Share-Alike Socialism; it is who we really are. We care for each other, we come to the aid of the poor, the sick, and victims of natural disasters. We work for a better life for our children. We stand up to defend our neighbors attacked by ICE, and fight to end the death, destruction, starvation, and pain inflicted by our government.
Share-and-Share-Alike Socialism is what people are built for and what we need to live a full, peaceful and happy life.
The Pontiff felt compelled to issue his teaching because he knew that a “great transformation” was coming.2 AI is transforming how the necessities of life are produced, which is changing how society is organized. The choices are Babel or Jerusalem – private ownership of AI protected by fascism and war or public ownership of AI producing justice and peace.
“Each generation inherits the task of shaping its own era, of guiding history to become a place where the dignity of every person is safeguarded, justice is promoted, and fraternity is made possible.”1
This is our time! There is no going back; there are no reforms. The only choice we have is to move forward and end the rule of private property.
AI gives us the power to create a new way of life based on cooperation, the way ancient people lived before the establishment of private property, except we will have advanced technology to support a way of life that is in balance with nature.
We can do this! We must do this!
Footnotes
- https://www.vatican.va/content/leo-xiv/en/encyclicals/documents/20260515-magnifica-humanitas.html#The_res_novae_of_our_time
- https://www.ncronline.org/vatican/vatican-news/pope-leo-calls-disarm-ai-major-document-warns-technologic-threats-humanity
- Karl Marx, Wage Labour and Capital, https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/15369896-wage-labour-and-capital
