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article culture calendar_today Friday, May 29, 2026

The Art System and Artificial Intelligence according to Pope Leo XIV

Il sistema dell’arte e le Intelligenze Artificiali secondo papa Leone XIV

Pope Leo XIV's encyclical "Magnifica humanitas," released on May 15, 2026, addresses the relationship between human creativity and artificial intelligence. The document argues that delegating creative tasks to AI weakens personal judgment and creativity, calling for a "fast from AI." It compares software developers to artists, asserting that algorithmic design is a cultural act, not merely a technical one. The encyclical warns that AI can simulate but not create, as it lacks genuine experience of the world, and cautions that the creative industry risks being dismantled and replaced by anonymous, AI-generated content.

This matters because it directly engages the visual art world at a critical moment, coinciding with the Venice Biennale's posthumous exhibition "In Minor Keys" curated by Koyo Kouoh, which emphasizes emotional and sensory connection. The Pope's critique of AI-generated art challenges galleries, museums, and studios to reconsider authorship and the value of human experience in art. It also resonates with broader debates about technology's role in culture, positioning the Church as a significant voice in contemporary art discourse.