The Vatican’s Man Inside Anthropic
Pope Leo XIV's recent encyclical on AI has drawn attention to the ethical implications of technology, featuring Chris Olah, a cofounder of Anthropic. Olah, who has a background in AI development, acknowledged the industry's conflicting incentives during his remarks at the Vatican. The encyclical aims to foster dialogue about AI's potential risks and the need for moral consideration in its development.
- ▪Pope Leo XIV called for 'disarming' AI in his historic encyclical.
- ▪Chris Olah, an atheist and cofounder of Anthropic, spoke at the Vatican about the ethical challenges in the AI industry.
- ▪The encyclical aims to create dialogue and awareness about the potential dangers of AI, rather than immediately changing industry practices.
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Steven LevyBusinessMay 29, 2026 11:00 AMThe Vatican’s Man Inside AnthropicPope Leo XIV may not be able to disarm AI, but he’s got the attention of the industry.Photo-Illustration: WIRED Staff; Getty ImagesCommentLoaderSave StorySave this storyCommentLoaderSave StorySave this storychris olah isn't someone you’d expect to see as a speaker in the ceremony following Pope Leo’s historic AI encyclical, in which the pontiff called for “disarming” the technology. For one thing, Olah is an atheist who at 15 rejected his evangelical Christian upbringing. As a Thiel fellow, he accepted a grant from the guy who thinks that anyone who slows down AI progress is a legionnaire of the antichrist.
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