A Continuing Relevance: Rerum Novarum in the Age of Artificial Intelligence

As artificial intelligence (AI) transforms the global landscape of labor and power, this paper reexamines Rerum Novarum (1891)— Pope Leo XIII’s foundational social encyclial—as a normative framework for addressing ethical dilemmas in the digital age. The study argues that the encyclical's principles—human dignity, just labor, solidarity, and the common good remain urgently relevant as AI-driven automation disrupts traditional employment structures. Drawing on Catholic Social Teaching (CST), magisterial texts, and AI ethics literature, this paper explores how theological moral reasoning can inform the development of ethical, human-centered digital systems and policies. Using a qualitative doctrinal method, the study synthesizes Thomistic natural law, CST principles, and contemporary philosophical reflections to propose a moral vision for justice and human dignity amid technological change. The findings suggest that Rerum Novarum provides an enduring ethical foundation for fostering a just, human-centered AI future.