Can the Pope influence the future of AI? episode artwork

EPISODE · May 29, 2026 · 29 MIN

Can the Pope influence the future of AI?

from Download This Show · host Australian Broadcasting Corporation

The Catholic Church has entered the AI debate, with Pope Leo XIV warning against "digital slaveries" while seated beside the co-founder of Anthropic. We ask whether the Vatican is positioning itself as a moral counterweight to Silicon Valley — and whether religion could shape the future of AI.Google says AI-generated answers are the future of search, replacing the familiar list of blue links with chatbot-style summaries. Critics argue it risks killing source literacy and turning the internet into a machine-generated feedback loop.And if smart glasses weren't enough, smart contact lenses may be next. We look at the push toward invisible wearable tech — and the privacy concerns already following close behind.GUESTS:Tegan Jones, Deputy Editor at SmartCompany and Co-host of Weird TechGianfranco Di Giovanni, ABC Radio Perth content director and an arts, gaming and tech reporter.------------This episode was produced on the lands of the Gadigal and Burramattagal people.------------Get in touch:We'd love to hear from you! Email us at [email protected] all the episodes of Download This Show on the ABC Listen App or wherever you get your podcasts.

Episode metadata supplied by the publisher feed · Published May 29, 2026

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Can the Pope influence the future of AI?

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