Magnifica Humanitas: The Papal Encyclical on AI Shakes Washington

An Evening with Dr. Oz, Mr. Wonderful, and an Overlooked Archbishop

To grasp the impact of Pope Leo XIV's encyclical Magnifica Humanitas on artificial intelligence, one only needs to immerse themselves in a typical evening in Washington. Last week, a black-tie gala was held at the Waldorf Astoria, the former Trump hotel, organized by the Washington AI Network. This event brought together AI lobbyists, AI security NGOs, tech industry representatives, specialized journalists, and personalities like Kevin O’Leary from Shark Tank. Among the high-profile attendees were the director of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, Mehmet Oz, and the Under Secretary for Energy, Darío Gil.

Archbishop Gabriele Caccia, the Vatican's chief diplomat in the United States, made a surprise appearance to deliver a speech. His aim was to convey the Pope's message about the necessity of protecting the human condition before innovation and profit. However, his speech was drowned out by the ambient noise as the salad service began, and guests took the opportunity to network.

The Limited Influence of the Papal Encyclical

Although Magnifica Humanitas has generated excitement among the public, the Pope lacks the power to impose binding regulations, which limits its immediate influence in Washington. Despite lively discussions during dinner, the AI industry seems to suffer from tunnel vision. Corporate lobbyists are trying to befriend both political parties, Democrats and Republicans alike, without offending either side. However, in Donald Trump's Washington, supporting a Democrat can be seen as a betrayal, even for tech oligarchs.

A striking example is the nomination of billionaire and commercial astronaut Jared Isaacman for the NASA administrator position, which was put on hold for several months after Trump learned he had once donated to a Democrat. However, if these tech oligarchs support Trump financially and maintain a good image, they can obtain the regulations they desire. But even this control is precarious.

Trump's Unpredictable Decisions

On May 20, several media outlets reported that Trump would sign an executive order establishing a government review council for unpublished advanced AI models, delaying their release by a maximum of 90 days. On May 21, Trump decided not to sign the order, influenced by last-minute lobbying from David Sacks and Elon Musk. Ultimately, Trump signed the order on June 2, after intense lobbying from Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, but modified the delay to a maximum of 30 days.

Upcoming Political Uncertainties

While Washington is chaotic and unpredictable, there are two fixed points in time: every two years, a federal election takes place in November, and the winners are sworn into Congress the following month. This leads to a shift in the balance of power, but no one can anticipate who will hold that power or what it will look like. This creates a series of unknowns for tech companies: what happens if Republicans lose the House? What if they lose the majority by one member, or 10, or 20? What does that scenario look like in the Senate? Which Democrats will take control of which committees? What happens if Alex Bores is elected? What if a Trump loyalist ousts a Republican ally? What if a friendly Democrat is ousted by a progressive for their support of Israel?

The Impact of Upcoming Elections

The interests of the tech industry could be a key issue in the upcoming midterm elections. It is easy for a voter to understand the implications of famous Big Tech CEOs standing alongside Trump at the inauguration, or a golden statue of Tim Cook altering the anticipated price of an iPhone, or a check from a tech giant funding a major gala. In this cycle, it is even easier for voters to draw a direct line between these visible moments and the growing and often unwelcome presence of AI in all aspects of their daily lives. These voters complain to their representatives, and if those representatives do not respond, they risk being ousted from office in November.

Tracking Political Spending in the AI Industry

Journalist Molly White has launched the Tech Influence Watch project, which tracks political spending by the AI industry in the upcoming midterm elections. White started this project to monitor cryptocurrency-related spending in the 2024 election but emphasized that the politics of cryptocurrency and AI are inextricably linked. The donors and strategists behind AI super PACs are often the same individuals. "PACs may seem different from the outside, but they are increasingly the same operation with aligned goals: deregulate the tech sector, reduce consumer protections, and allow tech companies to capture even more enormous profits at the expense of ordinary people."