By LiCAS News
INDIA — India’s Catholic bishops have welcomed Pope Leo XIV’s first encyclical, Magnifica Humanitas, describing it as a moral framework for addressing the growing social risks posed by artificial intelligence in one of the world’s fastest-digitizing societies.
In a statement issued after the publication of the encyclical, the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India (CBCI) called the document “a valuable contribution to the Social Doctrine of the Church, in continuity with Rerum Novarum” and “a guide for dealing with the challenges of AI.”
The bishops said the rapid spread of AI in India has intensified concerns over unemployment, inequality, surveillance, and the concentration of power, especially among vulnerable communities.
They emphasized that the encyclical reaffirms the “centrality of the human person, created in the image of God” and calls for technological development to be “guided by ethical principles grounded in human dignity, justice, and the common good.”
India has emerged as one of the world’s most active centers for AI development, driven by expanding government investment and a massive information technology sector. The rapid transformation has fueled debate over the technology’s impact on jobs, education, social justice, and democratic accountability.
The CBCI said the Indian Church plans to promote the encyclical in parishes, schools, formation programs, and social apostolates as part of efforts to deepen awareness of the ethical implications of AI.
Cardinal Anthony Poola, president of the CBCI, said the document offers “a clear moral compass in a time of rapid technological change.”
He stressed the need to protect “the poor, young people, and marginalized communities” from the potentially harmful effects of uncontrolled artificial intelligence.
“The CBCI encourages all Catholics and people of good will to read the encyclical in a spirit of prayer and to foster a culture in which technology is at the service of the integral development of every human being,” Poola said.
The bishops also raised concern over the possible impact of AI on Dalit communities, warning that automated systems could reinforce historical discrimination if left without ethical safeguards.
At the same time, the CBCI said AI also offers opportunities for inclusion “if used according to ethical and developmental criteria.”
The encyclical has also drawn significant attention in Indian media, according to a report by the Vatican’s Fides News Agency.
The Hindu described Pope Leo XIV’s appeal to “disarm” AI as part of a “global ethical manifesto” and highlighted the pope’s call for stronger regulation of artificial intelligence technologies.
Meanwhile, the Economic Times and the Times of India focused on the possible effects of AI on employment, particularly within India’s large IT sector.
Indian media broadly welcomed the encyclical’s emphasis on regulating AI processes and defending “the primacy of the individual over profit and innovation,” according to Vatican agency Fides.
