Brian Crombie Radio Hour - Epi 1642 - Pope Leo XIV, Artificial Intelligence, and the Future of Humanity

On this episode of The Brian Crombie Hour, host Brian Crombie is joined by Dr. John Cappucci, President and Vice Chancellor of Assumption University, for a timely and wide-ranging conversation on faith, ethics, and the rapid rise of artificial intelligence. The discussion centres on Pope Leo XIV’s landmark encyclical, “Magnifica Humanitas: On Safeguarding the Human Person in the Time of Artificial Intelligence,” released on the 135th anniversary of Rerum Novarum — the Church’s historic reflection on labour, industrialization, and human dignity. At the heart of the conversation is a defining question of our time: will AI serve humanity, or will humanity begin serving AI? 🧠 Part 1 — AI, Power, and Human DignityDr. Cappucci explores why this encyclical extends far beyond the Catholic Church, touching on global concerns about technology and society. Topics include: ⚠️ The concentration of AI power among a small number of corporations and technologists🤖 The absence of moral reasoning within AI systems💼 Job displacement and widening economic inequality⚔️ The rise of AI-driven warfare and autonomous weapons🌎 Ethical questions surrounding innovation and environmental impact📚 The transformation of education and academic integrity in the AI era Rather than rejecting technology, the encyclical calls for balance — insisting that technology must remain subordinate to human dignity, truth, justice, and the common good. ⛪ Part 2 — Community, Communion, and Human ConnectionThe conversation then turns to a broader cultural concern: the erosion of genuine human connection in an increasingly digital world. They explore:🤝 The decline of face-to-face interaction📱 Digital isolation and fragmentation🏛️ The role of community institutions in civic life🙏 The difference between communion and mere participation🧠 Why empathy, moral judgment, and presence cannot be replicated by machines As Dr. Cappucci notes, while technology can support human life, it cannot replace it. 🎯 The Bigger QuestionAs artificial intelligence reshapes work, education, media, warfare, relationships, and even identity itself, the episode asks: what moral framework should guide this transformation — and who gets to define it? Because the real risk may not simply be that AI becomes more intelligent, but that humanity becomes less human.