Pope Leo XIV has revealed that his papal name was chosen in direct reference to Pope Leo XIII, aligning his mission with the Church’s historical response to rapid technological upheaval. Speaking to the College of Cardinals, the newly elected pontiff cited the rise of artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies as the defining challenges of his papacy.
The selection of the name Leo XIV immediately drew comparisons to Leo XIII, who led the Church during the social and economic turmoil of the late 19th century. Known for his groundbreaking 1890 encyclical Rerum Novarum (“Of New Things”), Leo XIII condemned socialism while defending workers’ rights and the dignity of labor amid the Industrial Revolution.
That era witnessed the collapse of agrarian economies and the rise of mass industrialization. In response to the threat of anarchism, socialism, and communism, Leo XIII offered a centrist vision grounded in Catholic social teaching. His document helped shape the Church’s response to modern capitalism and laid the foundation for future engagement in economic debates.
Now, Pope Leo XIV sees a parallel between the transformations of the industrial age and the seismic shifts caused by artificial intelligence and automation. “I chose to take the name Leo XIV… because Pope Leo XIII in his historic Encyclical Rerum Novarum addressed the social question in the context of the first great industrial revolution,” the pontiff explained.
He continued, “In our own day, the Church offers to everyone the treasury of her social teaching in response to another industrial revolution and to developments in the field of artificial intelligence that pose new challenges for the defence of human dignity, justice and labor.”
The new pope’s choice signals a strong commitment to grappling with the ethical and social consequences of AI and automation—technology that promises vast potential but also raises profound concerns about labor displacement, surveillance, and the erosion of human dignity.
