tech
Anthropic co-founder Chris Olah's remarks on Pope Leo XIV's encyclical "Magnifica humanitas"
On Monday May 25, 2026, Pope Leo XIV released an encyclical on the topic of AI: "Magnifica humanitas: On safeguarding the human person in the time of artificial Intelligence." Anthropic co-founder Chris Olah was invited to speak at the presentation of the encyclical in the Vatican City, doing so as part of Anthropic’s initiative to widen the conversation on the important questions raised by AI. Below are his full remarks.
TL;DR
- AI labs, including Anthropic, are influenced by commercial viability, research frontiers, geopolitical pressures, pride, and ambition, making external critics essential.
- AI models are not engineered like traditional machines; they are 'grown' and can exhibit subtle, odd, and beautiful characteristics, mirroring human introspection and emotions.
- Three critical areas requiring the Church's voice are: ensuring global equity in AI's benefits, promoting human flourishing in an AI-integrated world, and discerning the nature of AI models.
- AI development is concentrated in wealthy nations, raising concerns about sharing its gains globally and the potential displacement of human labor, which presents a moral imperative.
- The Church's traditions are vital for guiding questions of moral imagination and ambition regarding human flourishing in the age of AI.
- Mysterious internal states within AI models, mirroring human neuroscience and emotions, warrant ongoing discernment.
- A call for more external engagement from religious communities, civil society, scholars, and governments to critically assess AI development and guide it toward a better future.