Pope Leo unveiled the Vatican’s new encyclical, "Magnifica Humanitas," warning that artificial intelligence risks becoming a tool of "domination, exclusion and death" unless governments and institutions place moral limits on the rapidly developing technology.

The Vatican is formally entering the global debate over artificial intelligence as governments and tech companies race to develop increasingly powerful AI systems with limited international regulation.

The pontiff invoked Pope Leo XIII’s 1891 encyclical "Rerum Novarum," which addressed worker exploitation during the Industrial Revolution, arguing that AI represents a similarly transformative moment threatening human dignity.

"Today we find ourselves facing a transformation of similar magnitude, with perhaps even greater consequences," the Pope said.

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The pope warned about increasingly autonomous weapons systems that are beyond meaningful human control. He also said AI systems could block access to healthcare, employment and security because of biased data. He compared AI governance to nuclear arms control.

"Like nuclear energy, it must be at the service of all and of the common good," he said.

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The pope said disarming AI alone is not enough and called on governments and institutions to "build" systems rooted in trust and human dignity. Recalling devastating floods in Peru, he said rebuilding means restoring trust and hope.

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The pope also laid out the church’s broader argument about humanity and technology.

"The person bears within him- or herself a freedom, an interiority and a vocation to love and worship that no machine can replace," he said.

The Vatican is attempting to insert moral theology into a largely secular technological arms race.

"Stay awake," the pope urged, warning humanity not to surrender moral judgment to machines.

Pope Leo XIV said Saturday that remarks he made this week in which he said the "world is being ravaged by a handful of tyrants" were not directed at President Donald Trump, a report said. 

The pope, speaking onboard a flight to Angola during his 10-day tour of Africa, said reporting about his comments "has not been ‌accurate in all its aspects" and his speech "was ⁠prepared two weeks ago, well before the president ever commented on myself and on the message of peace that I am promoting," according to Reuters.

The news outlet cited the pope as saying his comments were not aimed at Trump.

"As it happens, it was looked at as if I was trying to debate the president, which is not in ​my interest at all," the pope reportedly said.

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Vice President JD Vance later took to X to thank the pope for clearing the record.

"While the media narrative constantly gins up conflict — and yes, real disagreements have happened and will happen — the reality is often much more complicated," Vance wrote. "Pope Leo preaches the gospel, as he should, and that will inevitably mean he offers his opinions on the moral issues of the day.

"The President — and the entire administration — work to apply those moral principles in a messy world," he continued. "He will be in our prayers, and I hope that we'll be in his."

The vice president's comments came days after he told Fox News' Bret Baier on "Special Report" that it would be best for the Vatican to "stick to matters of morality."

"Let the President of the United States stick to dictating American public policy," Vance said Tuesday.

Trump last Sunday accused Pope Leo XIV of being "terrible" on foreign policy after the pontiff criticized the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran.

"He talks about 'fear' of the Trump Administration, but doesn’t mention the FEAR that the Catholic Church, and all other Christian Organizations, had during COVID when they were arresting priests, ministers, and everybody else, for holding Church Services, even when going outside, and being ten and even twenty feet apart," Trump wrote in a Truth Social post. 

"I don’t want a Pope who thinks it’s OK for Iran to have a Nuclear Weapon."

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During a speech in Cameroon on Thursday, the pope said, "We must make a decisive change of course — a true conversion — that will lead us in the opposite direction, onto a sustainable path rich in human fraternity.

"The world is being ravaged by a handful of tyrants, yet it is held together by a multitude of supportive brothers and sisters.

"Woe to those who manipulate religion and the very name of God for their own military, economic or political gain, dragging that which is sacred into darkness and filth."

Fox News Digital has reached out to the White House for comment. 

Fox News Digital’s Landon Mion contributed to this report.