Pope Leo Contradicts Trump on AI Safety Concerns
Pope Leo XIV said Monday that warnings about AI going rogue deserve serious attention, not dismissal. Trump has called those same concerns a 'hoax.'
- Leo spoke aboard the papal plane returning from a four-day visit to France.
- Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei has warned AI could dominate the internet within 6 to 12 months.
- OpenAI plans to delay its Wall Street stock sale until next year, citing safety priorities.
- A Vatican commission is studying how to prevent AI from, in Leo's words, 'destroying humanity.'
Why it matters: Leo's comments add religious and moral weight to a debate that is already dividing governments and industry. His encyclical 'Magnificent Humanity,' published in May, called for AI regulation and a slowdown in development.
- Leo personally launched the encyclical alongside Anthropic co-founder Christopher Olah as part of a Vatican effort to engage Silicon Valley on AI's human costs.
- AI has become a major U.S. political issue as companies build data centers and Americans raise concerns about farmland, water, and electricity impacts.
How 9 sources split on this story
Where they split: The core dispute is whether AI catastrophe risks are real policy problems or politically motivated alarmism — Leo says the former; Trump says the latter.
Center coverage, 7 sources: The center presents the exchange as a factual policy disagreement between two high-profile figures, reporting both positions without emphasizing either as a rebuke.
PBS NewsHour1hContradicting Trump, Pope Leo says AI safety concerns not 'fake news'KSAKSAT 12 San Antonio2hContradicting Trump, Pope Leo says artificial intelligence safety concerns not 'fake news'
Axios1hPope Leo rejects AI "fake news" claims after Trump calls fears a "hoax"NewNews4Jax2hContradicting Trump, Pope Leo says artificial intelligence safety concerns not 'fake news'
Newsweek1hPope Leo says AI safety concerns not "fake news" as Trump champions tech
Sky News2hPope says concerns about AI going rogue are not 'fake news' after Trump 'hoax' claimsWGAWGAL 82hContradicting President Trump, Pope Leo says artificial intelligence safety concerns not 'fake news'Left coverage, 1 sources: The left frames the story as a moral rebuke of Trump by a respected global figure, foregrounding the pope's American identity and his track record of criticizing Trump administration policies.
Right coverage, 1 sources: The right contextualizes Leo's remarks alongside Trump's active engagement with AI industry leaders, framing the story as a policy contrast rather than a confrontation.
What’s next: Trump is set to lunch Tuesday with Zuckerberg, Amodei, Brockman, and Pichai alongside House Speaker Mike Johnson.
- Trump and Chinese President Xi agreed last week to explore a notification mechanism for AI incidents affecting national security.
- Will Trump respond publicly to Leo's remarks, as he did during their earlier dispute over U.S.-Israeli military action in Iran?
- What, if any, concrete commitments emerge from Trump's Tuesday meeting with AI executives?