Peter Thiel Criticizes Pope’s AI Encyclical as Aid to China

Tech billionaire Peter Thiel accused Pope Leo XIV of acting as a “useful idiot” for the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) after the pontiff’s May encyclical called on world leaders to regulate artificial intelligence. In an interview with POLITICO’s Mathias Döpfner, Thiel argued that the encyclical would do little to curb China’s AI ambitions but could prompt the United States and allies to impose strict rules on the technology. He noted that while the CCP would not heed the pope, U. S. policymakers might, thereby benefiting China’s interests. The Vatican has not yet responded to the criticism. Thiel’s remarks come as Chinese leader Xi Jinping meets U. S. President Donald Trump in Washington amid growing concerns about AI’s catastrophic risks.