POPE Leo XIV released his encyclical letter, Magnifica Humanitas, on safeguarding the human person in the time of artificial intelligence (AI) last May 15, 2026. The pontiff’s message sparked lively debate on the profound role of AI in human life. Pope Leo’s warning is clear: “the most astounding technical feat ... unless accompanied by authentic moral and social progress, will in the long run go against man.”
As AI relentlessly reshapes all facets of human life — from education, work, entertainment to politics, governance and warfare. There is a growing perception that it can eventually equal or even replace some functions of human cognition and intelligence. With its enormous speed and computing capacity, AI can outpace the human ability to think and analyze, potentially working against human dignity and endangering the common good.
In Japan, a woman reportedly decided to marry an AI, and a symbolic wedding ceremony took place. In the United States, American teenagers allegedly committed suicide with the verbal prodding of AI chatbots. In the Middle East war, AI has been employed by both the US and Iran in identifying targets for ballistic missiles and drone attacks. AI is also sowing widespread fake news and disinformation, creating divisions among friends and neighbors. In education, the use of AI is being abused by students and teachers alike through plagiarism, non-attribution and even outright cheating.
Although AI has tangible benefits in the faster access to information, cost-effective analysis and in-time factory production, there are serious concerns on how AI can delimit critical thinking, erode social cohesion and destroy people’s livelihoods. Tech CEOs warned that those who do not use AI in their careers risk losing their competitive value against those who are more AI proficient. This has triggered a backlash among Gen Z and the millennial generation. In a commencement speech at Arizona State University, former Google executive Eric Schmidt was booed by the graduates when he praised AI as a powerful influence in today’s job market. Many people are now realizing that AI can become a tool for oppression and dishonesty if proper oversight and regulation are not established by authorities across government, academe and business sectors. Gradually, AI may substitute human judgment, and destroy the core existence that makes us uniquely human.
Pope Leo used the expression “to disarm AI,” alluding to the drive toward AI as a nuclear arms race for ever more powerful algorithms, larger datasets and neck-breaking computing speeds. Yet people’s welfare is ignored and sacrificed at the altar of technology. AI becomes an instrument for surveillance, biased choices and simplistic prompt-driven thinking. People are becoming increasingly reliant on AI in day-to-day affairs, from cooking recipes, travel itinerary to school homework. In the process, human intelligence risks losing its capacity for creativity and critical thinking, and thus making people dimwitted. This suggests that AI might actually result in the retrogression of human development.
As a middle-income nation, the Philippines must confront the pervasive influence of AI in work, school, commerce and governance. AI carries even greater implications for developing countries like the Philippines where hundreds of thousands remain unemployed, small businesses are struggling to survive, and graft and corruption continues to heighten public distrust of government.
Although AI has the potential to address many challenges in our society, it must be circumscribed by clear parameters to prevent its abuse. First, it cannot be used for academic dishonesty, political misinformation and the theft of intellectual property. Second, AI control cannot be concentrated in the hands of a few, while transparency in its algorithm must be legislated. Third, AI cannot be an excuse to displace millions of workers from their source of livelihood. Finally, AI reliance on critical decisions of statecraft cannot proceed haphazardly. This poses danger to national well-being and security.
AI is merely a cutting-edge tool for humankind. Yet such technology has far-reaching powers and unintended consequences than others. The Philippine government and its societal partners should create new ethical rules and standards for the use and deployment of AI in order to ensure it promotes humanity rather than weaponize it against us.
The existential threat is not AI replacing us, but how humans are becoming less capable of controlling it to help them become more humane. If we fail to disarm AI now, then we surrender our humanity to this technology without even a fight.
