The Indicator from Planet Money · Thursday, July 16, 2026
Pope Leo XIV's encyclical also touches upon the economic aspects of artificial intelligence, including environmental impacts and the ownership of the technology. The letter emphasizes that data should not be treated as a commodity to be sold or controlled by a select few.
“Pope Leo's encyclical addressed concrete economic concerns with AI too, like environmental impacts and who controls and owns the technology. The letter says data should not be treated as something to be sold off or entrusted to a select few.”