Pope and co-founder of Anthropic to launch pontiff’s AI encyclical on May 25 :: WRAL.com
Pope and co-founder of Anthropic to launch pontiff’s AI encyclical on May 25 :: WRAL.com
Publish Date: 2026-05-18 07:46:00
Source Domain: www.wral.com
- Pope Leo XIV and Christopher Olah of Anthropic will launch the pontiff’s first encyclical on May 25, focusing on AI’s impact on human dignity.
- Anthropic emphasizes safety and risk-mitigation in its research, and its collaboration with the Vatican signals a potential clash with the Trump administration.
- The Trump administration previously imposed penalties on Anthropic for refusing military access to its AI technology, which Anthropic is currently suing over.
- Pope Leo XIV has expressed deep concern about AI in warfare and advocates for monitoring its applications.
- The encyclical, titled “Magnifica Humanitas,” will see an unprecedented, star-studded launch in the main Vatican auditorium, featuring top cardinals and experts.
- It marks 135 years since Pope Leo XIII’s seminal encyclical on workers’ rights and capitalism, drawing parallels to the AI revolution.
- Anthropic stresses the importance of democratic leadership in AI development to counter authoritarian regimes’ potential misuse of AI technology.
- The document will contextualize AI within the church’s social teachings, encompassing labor, justice, and peace, reflecting long-standing Catholic social thought.
