Anthropic co-founder calls for more oversight on AI, Pope's message sparks industry reflection

Chris Olah, co-founder of Anthropic, spoke at an event for Pope Leo XIV's first AI encyclical, saying AI development can't be left to tech companies alone. He called for religious leaders, governments, and civil society to step up oversight. He warned AI could replace human labor on a huge scale, making unemployment support a historic moral duty.

Olah noted that AI labs face business and political pressures that sometimes clash with public good. He said outside checks are key, and welcomed the Church's involvement, arguing AI ethics go beyond engineering. He urged for "sincere and deep critics" to balance tech power.

Anthropic, a US company behind Claude, previously clashed with the Trump administration over safety rules, banning military use of its models. Olah highlighted three big concerns: mass job loss, fair global sharing of AI benefits, and making complex AI systems explainable. The event marked a rare meeting of tech and the Catholic Church.