Peter Thiel on AI and tech stagnation and democracy

Tech entrepreneur Peter Thiel dismissed Pope Leo XIV's recent AI encyclical, branding it as a "useful idiot" for the Chinese Communist Party. During a recent interview, Thiel stated that the pope's call for AI regulation would not hinder China's AI ambitions, but could instead lead to stricter rules in the U.S. and among its allies.

Thiel revealed, "The Communist Party of China is not going to listen to the pope," suggesting the encyclical was actually beneficial for the CCP. Thiel's comments came just before Chinese President Xi Jinping met with President Donald Trump in Washington. As concerns about AI's potential risks mount, there have been calls for negotiations between global leaders to manage the technology's development.

Thiel, who has previously harshly criticized figures advocating for technology regulation, likened climate activist Greta Thunberg and AI safety advocate Eliezer Yudkowsky to the "Antichrist" in a previous statement.