Vance Calls Pope Leo's AI Warning Profound

By Theodore Bunker, Tuesday, 26 May 2026 05:04 PM EDT. Vice President JD Vance on Tuesday praised Pope Leo XIV's first encyclical on artificial intelligence as "very profound," embracing the pontiff's warning that rapidly advancing technology must be guided by moral and ethical principles as debate intensifies worldwide over AI's expanding role in society, warfare, and the economy. The Vatican this month released "Magnifica Humanitas," the first encyclical issued by Leo, framing artificial intelligence as one of the defining moral challenges of the modern era. The document urged what Leo described as the "exercise of responsible care for the human family" and warned against unchecked technological development that could undermine human dignity. Vance, a convert to Catholicism who has publicly supported American AI innovation, told NBC News that he had reviewed only portions of the text but praised the church's engagement in the growing global debate. "What I read of it sounds very profound, and the sort of thing that you would expect and hope from a leader of the church," Vance said in a telephone interview with NBC News. "The thing about morality is that the principles never change, but the way you apply those principles does, because the world changes, right?" he added. The vice president said technological advances require religious and political leaders to revisit long-standing ethical doctrines. "You have new technologies and warfare, so you have to update 'Just War' doctrine," Vance said. "New ways of human beings interacting with one another, so you have to kind of rethink the entire Catholic social teaching in light of the new world that we live in." Leo's encyclical marks the Vatican's most sweeping intervention yet into the AI debate and repeatedly emphasizes the protection of human dignity, labor, and democratic institutions as governments and technology companies race to develop increasingly powerful systems. The Pope compared the current technological moment to the Industrial Revolution, drawing explicit parallels to Pope Leo XIII's landmark 1891 encyclical "Rerum Novarum," which established modern Catholic social teaching in response to industrialization and labor exploitation. Vance echoed that comparison Tuesday. "I think that Leo XIV is becoming Pope at the beginning of the AI age," Vance said. The vice president added that moral leadership from the church could become increasingly important as artificial intelligence reshapes human relationships, military strategy, and employment. The Vatican has elevated AI ethics into a central priority of Leo's papacy. Earlier this month, the Pope approved the creation of an Interdicasterial Commission on Artificial Intelligence to coordinate Vatican policy and ethical guidance surrounding emerging technologies. Leo's encyclical also warned against the concentration of technological power among governments and corporations while cautioning against the use of AI in warfare and surveillance. The document was formally presented at the Vatican alongside Christopher Olah, co-founder of the AI company Anthropic, whose firm has recently drawn attention amid disputes with the Trump administration over military access to advanced AI systems. Vance's remarks came as he promoted his forthcoming memoir, "Communion," which focuses on his conversion to Catholicism and explores the intersection of faith, politics, and technological change.