Pope Leo XIV is set to release the encyclical “Magnifica humanitas” on Pentecost Monday. This document is expected to serve as the Catholic Church’s response to the growing influence of major technology conglomerates and the ramifications of Artificial Intelligence for the world of work.
In a guest contribution to the newspaper “Handelsblatt” Heiner Wilmer, the new chairman of the German Bishops’ Conference, wrote about how digital companies have shaped debates, controlled information flows, and affected democracy and labor markets. According to Wilmer, AI simultaneously presents “new challenges regarding the defense of human dignity, justice, and work” particularly highlighting the implications for employment. Concerns are growing across various sectors-including industry, public administration, banking, media, and logistics-that algorithmic systems could displace jobs or subject employees to ever-increasing pressure for efficiency. Many workers are beginning to question what role humans will retain in a digitized working environment.
While acknowledging that technology creates pressure on employees, it also unlocks new possibilities. The article notes that “AI is always two sides of the same coin”. Wilmer further asserts that for the Church, human work has never been merely a factor of production, but rather an expression of human dignity and societal participation. Therefore, the changes brought about by digitalization and AI are not solely economic matters, but deeply societal ones.
