Pope Leo XIV Warns AI Threatens Human Dignity, Urges Global Regulation
Pope Leo XIV released his May 25 encyclical 'Magnifica Humanitas' warning AI risks undermining human work, security and respect, citing Amazon's 16,000 January layoffs and Cloudfare's May announcement of 96,000 job cuts (20% of workforce). He noted AI's role in Ukraine's conflict—where Russia launched over 4,000 drones in October 2025—and urged AI be 'disarmed' to protect civilization.
This matters for Nigerians as tech adoption accelerates locally. Students fear degrees won't guarantee AI-resistant jobs, while creatives face copyright theft from AI-generated fakes. The Pope frames this as a societal choice: accept AI's risks to cognitive development and employment, or implement ethical safeguards. Local tech firms and universities already feel pressure to adapt.
While experts like Yoshua Bengio and Geoffrey Hinton echo control concerns, the World Economic Forum predicts AI may create 170 million jobs by 2030 versus displacing 92 million. The challenge is building safety nets—like those enabling remote robotic surgery—to harness benefits while preventing harm. Will Nigeria adopt regulations protecting workers and creatives while encouraging ethical AI innovation that serves rather than replaces humanity?