Interior Secretary Doug Burgum dismissed Pope Leo XIV’s warnings about artificial intelligence in an interview on Fox Business, calling the pope’s involvement in tech policy unusual. Meanwhile, Vice President JD Vance, a Catholic and AI proponent, praised Leo’s first encyclical as "profound" in an interview with NBC News, calling it a necessary update to Catholic social teaching for the AI era.
The split underscores tensions within the Trump administration as it balances AI deregulation with the Vatican’s calls for oversight. Leo’s encyclical, released alongside Christopher Olah of Anthropic, warns of job displacement, inequality, and autonomous weapons. Vance, who has faced criticism for earlier remarks about the pope’s theological knowledge, said the document aligns with moral leadership. Burgum, however, questioned the pope’s role in tech policy.
The administration recently delayed an AI safety review executive order after tech industry pressure, citing concerns about U.S. competitiveness against China. Some Catholics warn unchecked AI could worsen societal issues, while others argue deregulation is key to economic growth.