Billionaire Peter Thiel Attacks Pope’s AI Stance, Says He’s ‘Working For Chinese Communists’
Billionaire Peter Thiel Attacks Pope’s AI Stance, Says He’s ‘Working For Chinese Communists’
Publish Date: 2026-07-03 07:08:00
Source Domain: www.forbes.com
Topline
Billionaire Peter Thiel attacked Pope Leo XIV and mocked the catholic leader by accusing him of being an agent of “Chinese Communists,” in response to the pope’s grave warnings about the impact of artificial intelligence if the technology is left unregulated by governments.
Peter Thiel, co-founder of PayPal and Palantir, attacked the Pope over his stance on artificial intelligence.
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Key Facts
According to CNN, Thiel called out the pope while speaking at the Aspen Ideas Festival in Colorado earlier this week, while also claiming that the Democratic Party was under a “democratic-socialist takeover.”
Referring to the catholic leader’s first encyclical, “Magnifica Humanitas,” Thiel said the Vatican’s calls for regulation of artificial intelligence could slow down only one side in the U.S.-China AI race, as leaders in Beijing are less likely to listen to the pope’s plea.
The billionaire then argued that in his mind, this meant Leo—the first-ever American Pope—was “working for the Chinese Communists.”
The remarks reportedly triggered laughter from the audience.
Thiel is a long-time supporter of President Trump and a key backer of Vice President JD Vance, whose administration has been engaged in a public feud with the pope.
What Did The Pope Say In His Encyclical?
Pope Leo issued his first encyclical in May this year, where he warned that the push to expand artificial intelligence use, mass automation, and tech advancements is being used to build a modern “Tower of Babel” that reflects a world defined by greed, immorality and lack of respect for human life. The manifesto noted that while technology relieving humans of “arduous, repetitive or dangerous tasks” and providing “intelligent support” was desirable, the “pursuit of profits must not lead to choices that “systematically sacrifice jobs.” The pope’s document also warned of the use of AI to “construct distorted…
