Pope Leo XIV Announces Theme for 60th World Day of Social Communications: “Preserving human voices and faces”

Pope Leo XIV has chosen “Preserving human voices and faces” as the theme for the 60th World Day of Social Communications, which will be observed on May 17, 2026.

According to a communiqué from the Dicastery for Communication, cited by Vatican News, the theme highlights the need to safeguard the uniquely human dimensions of empathy, ethics, and responsibility in an age when algorithms and artificial intelligence increasingly shape public discourse.

The Dicastery noted that while technological advances bring unprecedented opportunities, “public communication requires human judgment, not just data patterns.” It stressed that the challenge for the Church and society is to ensure that humanity remains the guiding agent, so that machines serve as tools to connect and facilitate life, rather than undermine authentic human expression.

Risks of Artificial Intelligence

The communiqué, as reported by Vatican News, also warned of the potential dangers posed by artificial intelligence. AI can create engaging but misleading or manipulative information, replicate biases, amplify disinformation, and even invade privacy.

Overreliance on such tools, it added, risks weakening critical thinking and creativity, while concentrated control of AI systems raises concerns about inequality and misuse of power.

To address these challenges, the Dicastery underlined the urgency of promoting “Media and Artificial Intelligence Literacy (MAIL)” within formal education, especially for young people, so they can grow in freedom, discernment, and critical thinking.

A Pope Engaged with Contemporary Challenges

Since the start of his pontificate, Pope Leo XIV has drawn attention to the ethical questions surrounding new technologies. In his first meeting with the cardinals after his election in May 2025, he explained that his choice of papal name was inspired by Pope Leo XIII, who addressed the social issues of the industrial revolution in the landmark encyclical Rerum Novarum.

“In our own day,” Pope Leo said, “the Church offers the treasure of her social teaching in response to another industrial revolution, the development of artificial intelligence, which poses new challenges for the defence of human dignity, justice, and labour.”

More recently, in a message to the Second Annual Conference on Artificial Intelligence, Ethics, and Business Governance, Pope Leo reiterated that the benefits and risks of AI must be weighed according to the superior ethical criterion of safeguarding the inviolable dignity of every human person, while respecting the cultural and spiritual diversity of peoples.

The World Day of Social Communications, instituted by St. Paul VI in 1967, continues to serve as a key platform for the Church to reflect on the challenges and responsibilities of communication in today’s rapidly changing world.