Key facts
- Peter Thiel accused Pope Francis of inadvertently acting as a "useful idiot" for the Chinese Communist Party.
- Thiel made the remarks in Berlin while receiving the Axel Springer Award.
- Thiel is a partner at Founders Fund, which has investments in OpenAI, Palantir, and Scale AI.
Tech billionaire Peter Thiel has criticized Pope Francis's stance on artificial intelligence, suggesting the pontiff's advocacy for AI regulation inadvertently benefits the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). Thiel, speaking in Berlin at a ceremony where he received the Axel Springer Award, stated that the pope was "at least acting as a useful idiot for the CCP."
Thiel's remarks come as global leaders and tech executives grapple with the potential risks of artificial intelligence. He has a history of opposing calls for technology regulation, previously comparing climate activist Greta Thunberg and AI safety advocate Eliezer Yudkowsky to "the Antichrist."
Thiel is a partner at Founders Fund, a venture capital firm with investments in prominent AI companies including OpenAI, Palantir, and Scale AI.