Billionaire tech investor Peter Thiel has criticized former President Barack Obama and Pope Leo XIV for allegedly fueling public anxiety surrounding artificial intelligence as a way to enhance their personal popularity.
In remarks captured during private lectures, Thiel warned of an Antichrist figure, which he believes is obstructing technology advancements and promoting a “one world government” focused on regulation. This was revealed in recordings obtained by Politico.
“Many are aware that AI isn’t politically favored and some want to use that to increase their own popularity,” Thiel reportedly stated during an event in Nashville.
He specifically mentioned Obama, claiming, “He knows that the Democrats lack ideas, but they can at least oppose AI.”
Recently, Obama has called on Democrats to formulate a thorough strategy for regulating AI.
Thiel also suggested that the pope’s emphasis on AI might be a distraction from ongoing scandals related to sexual abuse within the Catholic Church. “He needed something politically appealing to draw attention away from the church’s child sex abuse issues, and he found it in AI,” Thiel said, referencing the pope’s initial encyclical on the topic.
Pope Leo has increasingly criticized AI in recent months, likening it to a “paradise of machines” that could threaten human existence—reflecting some of the more alarming viewpoints held by skeptics of AI.
Thiel’s comments, made during lectures on September 28 and the following Monday, offer insight into the shifting political priorities of the well-known conservative figure in the tech space.
His opposition to regulation isn’t a new stance; many venture capitalists in Silicon Valley share this view. However, unlike his conservative peers, Thiel has opted to frame these political debates in a religious context while also targeting the leader of the Catholic Church, according to Politico.
This change could influence political dynamics. Thiel was among the early supporters of Donald Trump and has significantly funded Vice President JD Vance’s political endeavors after his venture capital career.
Thiel’s criticisms of the church might complicate Vance’s situation, particularly as a converted Catholic. Politico noted that Democrats focusing on the 2028 presidential race have already begun to cast Vance in a negative light due to his association with Thiel.
Representatives for Thiel, Obama, Vance, and the Vatican did not respond to Politico’s requests for comments.
