Trending Now - Pope to Unveil AI Encyclical With Anthropic Co-founder Soon
WHO:
Techmeme - Pope Leo XIV will be joined by Christopher Olah, co-founder of Anthropic.
ABC News - Pope Leo XIV and Christopher Olah are the key figures involved in the encyclical launch.
WHAT:
ABC News - The encyclical is expected to place the AI question in the context of the church’s social teaching, which also covers issues such as labor, justice, and peace.
AP News - Anthropic's valuation grew to $380 billion earlier this year, positioning itself with its chatbot Claude alongside rivals OpenAI and Elon Musk’s rocket maker SpaceX, which recently merged with his AI startup xAI, maker of the chatbot Grok.
Techmeme - The event will launch Pope Leo XIV's first encyclical focused on artificial intelligence.
ABC News - The encyclical is titled "Magnifica Humanitas" and addresses the care of human dignity in the era of AI.
ABC News - The encyclical launch will feature presentations from two top cardinals and several lay speakers, including Olah.
WHERE:
Techmeme - The launch will take place in the main Vatican auditorium.
ABC News - The Vatican is the location of the event.
WHEN:
Techmeme - The encyclical will be launched on May 25.
ABC News - Pope Leo XIV signed the encyclical on May 15, 135 years after Pope Leo XIII signed "Rerum Novarum."
WHY:
ABC News - The presence of Christopher Olah at the Vatican suggests that the U.S. pope’s position on AI will become a new flashpoint with the Trump administration.
ABC News - The encyclical aims to address concerns about AI in warfare and the ethical implications of AI technology.
ABC News - The presence of Christopher Olah is significant due to Anthropic's focus on AI safety and risk mitigation.
HOW:
ABC News - The Vatican is organizing a formal launch in the main Vatican auditorium with an all-star cast of presenters, including two top cardinals and several lay speakers.
ABC News - The Vatican is organizing a formal launch with an all-star cast of presenters, including cardinals and theologians.
(UPDATED May 18, 2026 19:26 UTC)
The Vatican is preparing to launch an encyclical that will address artificial intelligence within the framework of the church's social teachings, which encompass labor, justice, and peace. This event will feature a formal presentation in the main Vatican auditorium, showcasing an impressive lineup of speakers, including two prominent cardinals and several lay experts. Meanwhile, Anthropic's valuation has soared to $380 billion, placing it in competition with major players like OpenAI and SpaceX, as the presence of Christopher Olah at the Vatican indicates that the church's stance on AI may soon become a point of contention with the Trump administration.
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(UPDATED May 18, 2026 14:19 UTC)
Pope Leo XIV will launch his first encyclical focused on artificial intelligence, titled "Magnifica Humanitas," on May 25, with Christopher Olah, co-founder of Anthropic, playing a key role in the event. The encyclical addresses the care of human dignity in the era of AI and will feature presentations from two top cardinals and several lay speakers in the main Vatican auditorium. This significant launch aims to tackle concerns about AI in warfare and the ethical implications of AI technology, highlighting Olah's expertise in AI safety and risk mitigation.