AFPI Responds to Pope’s Encyclical: AI, Faith, and Human Flourishing

WASHINGTON, D.C.—The America First Policy Institute (AFPI) has released the following statement from Joel Thayer, senior fellow for AI and Emerging Technology in response to Pope Leo XIV’s new papal encyclical on AI, emerging technology, and human dignity:

“The America First Policy Institute (AFPI) welcomes Pope Leo XIV’s encyclical Magnifica Humanitas. This document arrives at a defining moment in which activity regarding what we ‘can’ do with technology should be moderated by what we ‘should’ do. New technology is only productive if it is in service of the human person. The Holy See’s commitment to ensuring artificial intelligence (AI) serves individuals and upholds moral values are shared by the America First movement.”

“The Trump Administration has led the way in both the development and oversight of this technology. Ensuring our fundamental rights, national security, and economic prosperity remain protected and morally balanced with technology are policy principles that the America First movement prizes. AFPI’s AI Agenda proposes policies on AI technologies that serve American workers, but not replace them, as well as to advance health research and deliver breakthroughs that raise living standards for all people.”

“AFPI’s AI and Emerging Technology team has offered solutions that put people first. We appreciate the continued reflections from the Holy See and welcome ongoing dialogue on how technology can serve the common good while ethically innovating so that America, a beacon of freedom and hope in a conflicted world, remains the global leader in AI.”

The AI and Emerging Technology team has written extensively on the importance of upholding human dignity, AI dominance, protecting the American worker, and promoting technological progress. Read more about their work here.