Claire Giangrave

At the heart of the encyclical, called Magnifica Humanitas, or Magnificent Humanity, is a simple message.

Human beings must come before machines.

Pope Leo says that the future of humanity cannot be left in the hands of a few wealthy tech leaders.

He warns of new forms of exploitation behind it, from hidden labor to rare mineral mining to data taken without real consent.

Amid the rise of AI companies, automated warfare, and systems that can shape what people see and believe, Leo says responsibility must remain in human hands.

And he calls for more public oversight to disarm AI.

For NPR News, I'm Claire Giangrave in Rome.

At the heart of the encyclical, called Magnifica Humanitas, or Magnificent Humanity, is a simple message.

Human beings must come before machines.

Pope Leo says that the future of humanity cannot be left in the hands of a few wealthy tech leaders.

He warns of new forms of exploitation behind it, from hidden labor to rare mineral mining to data taken without real consent.

Amid the rise of AI companies, automated warfare, and systems that can shape what people see and believe, Leo says responsibility must remain in human hands.

And he calls for more public oversight to disarm AI.

For NPR News, I'm Claire Giangrave in Rome.

Shortly after his election, Leo said he wants Cardinals to have more opportunities to consult with the Pope on the future of the Church.

Pope Francis only held one such meeting with Cardinals during his tenure.

The two-day meeting is not public, but the agenda is expected to include reforms that Leo and Francis have made to how the Church is governed.

Conservatives expect that liturgy will also be discussed, as some hope that the new pope will eliminate restrictions placed by Pope Francis on the Latin Mass.

Cardinals are also expected to debate how Pope Leo's call for an unarmed and disarming peace can be heard in a world increasingly governed by force.

For NPR News, I'm Claire Giangrave.