The Common Good in the Age of Artificial Intelligence

Ted Hoff introduced the first commercially available microprocessor, the Intel 4004, on November 15, 1971, ushering in the Information Age. Like the Industrial Revolution of the late eighteenth century, each major technological breakthrough has accelerated the pace of societal change. Today, breakthroughs in machine learning and tools like ChatGPT are bringing artificial intelligence into nearly every aspect of daily life. Ironically, these technological advances return us to some of the most basic philosophical questions with renewed urgency. “What does it mean to be human?” The Catholic tradition answers this question not by looking first to technology but to the human person. One of the most important principles for evaluating new technologies is the common good.

Reflecting on Technology and Humanity

The more powerful our technology becomes, the more urgent the question of human identity becomes. This paradox illustrates a recurring theme of Catholic Social Teaching. In 1891, Pope Leo XIII wrote the seminal encyclical, Rerum Novarum, in response to the upheaval of the Industrial Revolution by defending the dignity of workers. In Pacem in Terris (1963), Pope St. John XXIII addressed the moral challenges posed by the nuclear age. Pope St. John Paul II reflected on the collapse of atheistic Communism while reaffirming that economic systems must remain at the service of the human person in his encyclical Centesimus Annus (1991). The Church has consistently responded to technological, political, and economic upheaval by returning to the human person.

Principle of the Common Good in Catholic Social Teaching

Desiring to defend the human person in the face of various ideologies, Catholic Social Teaching has developed principles to help judge new social realities and weigh their value for humanity. One of these is the principle of the common good, highlighted by Pope Leo XIV in his first encyclical, Magnifica Humanitas (2026). The common good is understood as “the sum total of social conditions which allow people, either as groups or as individuals, to reach their fulfillment more fully and more easily” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1906).

The common good is a principle that provides decision-makers with an objective measure as they seek practical solutions to complex problems. Both Pope Francis and Pope Leo XIV have engaged directly with the world’s discussion on AI. Since artificial intelligence possesses a particular capacity to affect people far beyond its direct users, its development and deployment must be judged not merely by profitability and technological capacity, but by whether it promotes the common good.

Applying the Principle of the Common Good to Artificial Intelligence

Artificial intelligence raises political as well as technological questions. Decisions made by a handful of governments and corporations can profoundly affect the lives of billions of people. For this reason, Pope Francis proposed a “healthy politics” to the G7 Summit in 2024. The principle of the common good requires broad participation in the decision-making process. Otherwise, we risk creating an oligarchic world society.

From the first days of his papacy, Pope Leo XIV gave clues that he would help further reflection on the moral value of artificial intelligence. He spoke about the need to consider the effects of emerging technology on all of society, not merely the primary beneficiaries. He encouraged those who, “through research, entrepreneurship, and pastoral vision, seek to ensure that emerging technologies remain oriented toward the dignity of the human person and the common good” (Pope Leo XIV, 6 November 2025).

For months before its publication, authors speculated that Pope Leo XIV’s first encyclical would focus on artificial intelligence. They were partly right, as Magnifica Humanitas will be largely remembered for its focus on emerging technologies and how they affect humanity. It is much more about what it means to be human in an evolving landscape of technology.

Common Good in Magnifica Humanitas

The pursuit of the common good “gives life to a people, understood not as a mere collection of individuals, but as a living reality in which people learn to recognize that they themselves are interconnected and jointly responsible for the res publica” (Pope Leo XIV, Magnifica Humanitas, 62).

To foster the common good in relation to artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies, it is important to reflect on truth, the dignity of work, and the value of freedom.

Need for Truth

Truth needs to be reflected in communication and in education if artificial intelligence is going to serve the common good instead of the interests of a privileged few. The common good requires truthful communication and educational opportunities for all people. Many of our spontaneous concerns about AI spring from the area of truth. We worry about misinformation and deepfakes, allowing manipulation of the masses and a hollowing out of the value of education.

If we lose confidence in the information that we consume, we make it much more difficult to have an educated dialogue about what is going on in the world. I am occasionally surprised when students make me aware that I have been taken in by some deepfake appearing on the internet. If we cannot distinguish fact from fiction, our pursuit of the common good risks becoming impossible.

Value of Work

Work must be valued so that more people can participate in society. There is a risk that some strata of society end up serving artificial intelligence, as happens when people have to mine for the rare earth minerals or become subordinate to the demands of machines. Artificial intelligence should free humans for more creative, relational, and meaningful work, rather than simply replacing them. In a time of digital transition, the economy needs to value the dignity of the human person and the common good, rather than be manipulated in favor of those already possessing power. Work exists for man, not man for work (cf. Pope St. John Paul II, Laborem Exercens, 6).

Safeguarding Freedom

Every design choice by developers reflects a vision of humanity. Those developing and employing artificial intelligence have a particular responsibility to respect freedom and avoid imposing the chains of new forms of slavery on others. Regulation is part of the solution but is not the entirety of the solution. The moral value of those developing artificial intelligence is required for it to be a force for good and not for evil.

A significant part of the digital economy’s functioning relies on the silent work of millions of people engaged in essential yet largely unseen activities, such as data labeling, model training and content moderation, often involving disturbing material (Pope Leo XIV, Magnifica Humanitas, 173).

If we are concerned about the common good, we should work to “disarm” artificial intelligence, wanting to avoid further proliferation of war through advancing technology.

Conclusion

When Ted Hoff introduced the Intel 4004, he could never have imagined the panorama of technology today. Yet the essential question remains the same. The future of AI will be determined less by the speed of processors or the sophistication of algorithms, and more by the commitment of its developers to the dignity of the human person and the common good. Technology is one of humanity’s greatest accomplishments when it remains a servant of the human person rather than its master.