Anthropic Co-Founder Chris Olah Speaks at Vatican Alongside Pope Leo XIV's AI Encyclical

Anthropic co-founder Chris Olah spoke at the Vatican on May 25, 2026, at the presentation of Pope Leo XIV's encyclical "Magnifica humanitas: On safeguarding the human person in the time of artificial intelligence," according to Hacker News. The event marked a notable collaboration between a major AI company and the Catholic Church, with Olah appearing alongside the pontiff at the unveiling.

"The encyclical addresses the ethical and theological implications of AI, and Olah's remarks contribute to Anthropic's initiative to broaden the conversation around AI's most important questions."

This partnership has sparked debate in both Catholic and tech circles, as critics question the involvement of a major AI company in a papal document on AI ethics, religionnews.com reported. The article explored the unlikely relationship between the Catholic Church and Anthropic, and how this collaboration is reshaping discussions around AI ethics.

religionnews.comPope Leo XIV's AI encyclical to feature Anthropic co-founder Chris Olah at Vatican event

Wired.com reported that the event highlighted the tension between AI industry leaders and religious and ethical concerns about artificial intelligence, noting that Olah is an atheist and Thiel Fellow. The Vatican under Pope Leo XIV issued a historic AI encyclical calling for "disarming" the technology, according to Wired, which also emphasized how the Vatican is engaging directly with AI developers to shape the technology's ethical framework.

wired.comAnthropic co-founder Chris Olah speaks at Vatican following Pope's AI encyclical

"The article explores the unlikely relationship between Anthropic co-founder Chris Olah (an atheist and Thiel Fellow) and the Vatican under Pope Leo XIV, who issued a historic AI encyclical calling for 'disarming' the technology."

Olah's speech at the Vatican began with acknowledgments and set the stage for discussing the intersection of AI development and human dignity, Hacker News reported. The event underscores a growing trend of religious institutions seeking direct dialogue with technology leaders to influence the ethical direction of artificial intelligence.