Pope Leo XIV's new encyclical on artificial intelligence declares that technology is never neutral. The document, titled Magnifica Humanitas, calls on people to choose between the Tower of Babel and rebuilding common humanity. But the pope's message is not just a theological statement. It also validates a movement that has been gaining momentum for years: investor-led efforts to hold tech companies accountable for their AI systems.
An Alternative to Government Inaction
The encyclical warns that AI is a commercial product emerging at a time when excessive power over commerce and society rests in very few hands. Governments have struggled to regulate AI effectively. The US Federal Trade Commission has limited authority over algorithmic design. The National Institute of Standards and Technology publishes guidance that most companies ignore. The EU AI Act addresses only a fraction of AI deployment.
In this vacuum, institutional investors have taken action. Coalitions such as the Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility, which represents investors managing over $400 billion in assets, have filed shareholder resolutions demanding transparency and risk assessment around AI. Secular investors have joined, treating AI governance failures as material business risks.
Why This Matters
The article shows that ordinary people still have power to shape AI's direction. When governments fail to regulate and corporations cannot be trusted, shareholders can demand accountability. Investors have pushed tech giants like Alphabet, Amazon, Nvidia, and Uber to ensure AI is not used for violence or human rights violations. They have challenged healthcare companies like CVS and UnitedHealth Group to protect patient well-being. They have called on Meta and Microsoft to address the environmental impact of AI data centers. And in creative industries, they have asked Disney, Netflix, and Warner Bros. to preserve the human element in storytelling.
This is not abstract theory. Shareholder advocacy has real consequences. It forces companies to disclose risks and change practices. As more AI companies like OpenAI, Anthropic, and Grok prepare to go public, investors will gain even more leverage.
A Moral Framework for AI Governance
The encyclical draws on two biblical stories. The Tower of Babel represents unchecked growth without regard for human cost, leading to failure and fragmentation. The rebuilding of Jerusalem in the Book of Nehemiah shows collaborative resilience with shared responsibility. Pope Leo urges people to choose the latter path.
Investor advocates from many faith traditions and no formal religion echo that call. They act on the principle that it is wrong to use technology to kill, harm, or oppress people. Every human being has a right to safe healthcare and a dignified living. The stories we tell require the human creative spark.
Magnifica Humanitas does not break new regulatory ground. It ratifies an effort already underway. The message is clear: technology is never neutral, and people have both the power and the duty to steer AI toward the common good.
