The Pope isn’t AGI-pilled | The Verge

Pope Leo XIV released an encyclical titled “Magnifica Humanitas” addressing societal implications of AI, emphasizing that its impact extends beyond technical considerations and enters domains affecting human rights, opportunities, status, and freedom.
The encyclical sparked varied reactions; some critics believed it should have addressed the prospect of artificial general intelligence (AGI) more directly, while others commended the pope’s stance on protecting human values.
The partnership between the Vatican and AI company Anthropic, highlighted by Anthropic cofounder Christopher Olah’s appearance, was seen as a strategic effort to bolster Anthropic’s reputation for trustworthiness amidst debates over military AI.
The encyclical notably omitted direct mention of AGI or superintelligence, sparking some criticism from the tech sector for not engaging with the potential future of AI deeply enough. Still, it underscored the importance of focusing on current AI’s impact on human societies.
Sister Susan Francois and Brian Boyd highlighted the encyclical as a broader call to protect human dignity rather than a specific plan for AI regulation, aiming at moral and regulatory guidance in the age of AI.
The pope likened AI’s potential dangers to the “Babel syndrome,” warning against uniformity over diversity and the risk of dehumanization inherent in prioritizing digital efficiency over human values.