Billionaire Peter Thiel has accused Pope Leo XIV of being an agent of the “Chinese Communists” after the pontiff warned about the dangers of artificial intelligence if it is left unregulated. Speaking at the Aspen Ideas Festival in Colorado earlier this week, the PayPal and Palantir co-founder criticised the pope’s push for stronger AI regulation, according to CNN. During the same discussion, Thiel also claimed that the Democratic Party was under a “democratic-socialist takeover.”
Referring to Pope Leo’s first encyclical, Magnifica Humanitas, Thiel argued that the Vatican’s call for AI regulation would only slow down one side in the US-China race to develop artificial intelligence because leaders in Beijing were unlikely to follow the pope’s appeal.The billionaire then claimed that this meant Leo, the first American pope, was “working for the Chinese Communists.” Thiel is a longtime supporter of President Donald Trump and a major backer of Vice President JD Vance. The Trump administration has also been involved in a public feud with Pope Leo in recent months.
Pope Leo warned about AI, jobs and autonomous weapons
Pope Leo released his first encyclical, Magnifica Humanitas, in May this year. In the document, he warned that the rapid expansion of artificial intelligence, automation and other technologies risks creating a modern “Tower of Babel” driven by greed, immorality and a lack of respect for human life.
While the pope said technology that helps people by taking over “arduous, repetitive or dangerous tasks” and offering “intelligent support” can be beneficial, he cautioned that the “pursuit of profits” must not lead to decisions that “systematically sacrifice jobs.”
The document also warned against using AI to “construct distorted narratives” and criticised autonomous weapons systems, saying they could make war more “feasible” and less subject to human control.
Pope and Trump have clashed over Iran conflict
Pope Leo has been one of the most outspoken critics of the Trump administration’s military actions, including its decision to go to war with Iran. After the conflict began, the pope warned that the growing “spiral of violence” could become “an unbridgeable chasm.” He took an even stronger stance after Trump posted on Truth Social that a “whole civilization will die tonight” unless Iran accepted his demands.
He called Trump’s warning “truly unacceptable,” Pope Leo said that “all attacks on civilian infrastructure is against international law.” Trump later hit back on social media, calling the pope “WEAK on Crime” and “terrible for Foreign Policy.” He also claimed, without providing evidence, that if he were not in the White House, “Leo wouldn’t be in the Vatican.”