On 2026-05-26, Pope Leo XIV issued the encyclical "Magnifica Humanitas" regarding AI. Chris Olah, cofounder of Anthropic, was invited to the announcement event held in Vatican City. Olah stated that frontier AI labs operate under incentives such as commercial sustainability, maintaining the research frontier, geopolitical pressures, and pride or ambition, which can sometimes conflict with doing the right thing. He pointed out that for AI to progress in a positive direction, it is crucial to have honest critics who exist outside these incentives, advocate for safety, and are willing to say difficult things. Additionally, he noted that Anthropic has found a shared belief that this technology must be good through dialogues with leaders who transcend faith and cultural traditions, and expressed gratitude for the Church's engagement with this reflection.
Source: Anthropic Cofounder Chris Olah's Remarks on Pope Leo XIV's "Magnifica Humanitas" (HN 87pt, 99 comments) (HN Search (backfill))