Even before AI made its way into all of our pockets, tech leaders spent decades warning the world about it. Anthropic has been particularly vocal about the disastrous consequences of reckless AI development. The company has also reportedly been focused on AI consciousness and the moral implications.
A recent article from The New York Times revealed that over the past year, Anthropic cofounder Christopher Olah has embarked on a journey to answer two central questions: not whether AI is dangerous, but rather, what if it is conscious? And if so, what does that mean for AI developers?
Seeking perspective, Anthropic turned not to technologists but to theologians and thinkers from various backgrounds, including Jewish, Mormon, Sikh, and Ubuntu leaders, as well as to Vatican officials. The company organized a series of dinners and conversations as part of its “model welfare” research, a project it announced in April of last year.
Beyond simply trying to validate that its technology is more than software, Anthropic is also said to have been looking to create a moral code to guide the potentially conscious entity toward a path of righteousness—and away from utter human destruction.
But in its quest, Anthropic seems to have ended up at odds with would-be ally Pope Leo XIV, whose own thinking on AI fundamentally rejects the idea that AI could be conscious.
Now, Pope Leo is not exactly a Luddite. The former mathematician from Chicago has focused much of his early papacy on technology. In May this year, he released a widely discussed encyclical titled Magnifica Humanitas in which he mostly argues that humanity should not be replaced by technology.
“So-called artificial intelligences do not undergo experiences, do not possess a body, do not feel joy or pain, do not mature through relationships,” the pope wrote.
While many at the time commended the American pontiff for bringing an antiquated institution into a modern conversation, the Times report notes that Anthropic representatives were displeased by Leo’s rejection of AI consciousness.
The pope has remained outspoken against the idea of AI consciousness, but in light of the Times reporting and a recent X post, many social media users see him as being at odds with Anthropic.
“In this era of artificial intelligence, it is becoming urgent to distinguish human art from what machines produce,” the pope posted to his official X account on Friday. “Algorithms lack the spark of humanity. For this reason, the Church wishes to renew an alliance with artists and cultural institutions to safeguard our humanity.”
Many social media users are criticizing Anthropic.
“I mean if they genuinely believe that there’s even the slightest chance that their AI model feels pain and suffering, maybe instead of complaining about how the rest of the world rejects their theory of AI consciousness, they should shut down their operation,” a user said on X.
“I genuinely don’t get Anthropic,” another added. “It seems like every other day they’re loudly puzzling over the ethics of a soul in a box—while building the box, claiming that it has a soul in it, and selling access to said box for $20 a pop. Like, dudes, these are incompatible positions.”
And while this discourse might be pulling favorable views away from Anthropic, it also seems to be sparking support for the pope’s position.
Another user wrote: “Joining the holy crusade against AI on the side of the Catholics. That’s a sentence that would have deeply confused me five years ago.”