When the Pope Says AI Isn’t Infallible: John Authers

To get John Authers’ newsletter delivered directly to your inbox, sign up here.

Many, even some Catholics, find the doctrine of papal infallibility hard to swallow. But papal encyclicals — the theological essays that pontiffs issue to guide bishops “in their relations with their flocks” — are almost infallible indicators of social and economic confidence. They must not be ignored.

The mere fact that Pope Leo XIV chose to publish a 40,000-word essay this week arguing that artificial intelligence must “serve humanity, not concentrate power,” shows that the issue has grown salient in society, and signals an approaching turning point.

The ...