Billionaire Peter Thiel believes that Pope Leo XIV serves as a "Chinese communist agent"

Billionaire venture capitalist Peter Thiel has criticized Pope Leo XIV over his call for stronger regulation of artificial intelligence, claiming the pontiff's position could unintentionally benefit China, AzerNEWS reports.

Speaking at the Aspen Ideas Festival in Colorado, Thiel criticized the pope's first encyclical, Magnifica Humanitas, which called for tighter controls on AI development to ensure the technology serves humanity, according to CNN.

Thiel argued that while the pope's message could influence AI policy and public opinion in the United States, it would have little effect on China, potentially slowing American technological progress without affecting Beijing's own AI ambitions.

"As a result, the billionaire said, Pope Leo XIV was 'working for the Chinese Communists,'" a remark that drew laughter from the audience.