Pope's Encyclical May Have Been Written by AI—What Small Business Owners Should Know

Pope's AI Encyclical May Have Been Written by AI—Here's Why That Matters

An analysis by researcher Linch Zhang suggests that parts of Pope Leo XIV's recent encyclical on artificial intelligence—a document titled Magnifica Humanitas—may have been generated by AI itself. Zhang found passages that appeared 40 to 100 percent written by artificial intelligence, raising questions about the irony of using AI to warn about AI's dangers.

The Vatican hasn't confirmed whether AI tools were used in drafting the document. However, the discovery highlights a growing reality: even institutions warning about AI's risks are quietly adopting the technology. This creates a credibility gap that extends beyond the church to any organization telling customers or employees to be cautious about AI while using it internally.

For small business owners, this situation offers an important lesson about transparency. If you're using AI to create content—whether it's marketing copy, customer service responses, or leadership messaging—your audience deserves to know. Hiding AI use, even unintentionally, can damage trust when discovered. Customers and employees increasingly expect honesty about how businesses operate, including which decisions and communications involve automation.

The irony also reveals something practical: AI is becoming so embedded in daily work that distinguishing "human-written" from "AI-assisted" is becoming nearly impossible. Instead of fighting this trend, successful small businesses are being transparent about their AI use while maintaining quality standards. They're setting clear policies about where AI helps (customer support automation, scheduling, data analysis) and where human judgment matters most (strategy, hiring decisions, client relationships).

This moment also questions the credibility of warnings about any technology without acknowledging that the warner is using it too. If you're advising clients or customers about AI risks, make sure you can explain your own approach honestly. Doing so actually builds more trust than pretending to avoid technology altogether.

For deeper context on how major institutions are grappling with AI messaging, read how the Pope's AI encyclical reveals the real power dynamics small business owners face.

What to watch: Vatican's official response to the AI-detection claims, and whether other institutions start disclosing their AI use more openly.