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AP
Pope Leo XIV’s AI Manifesto Sparks Meme Storm","description":"When Pope Leo XIV called for strict AI regulation, humor hit social media, turning Vatican messages into viral memes and sparking debate about faith and tech.","summary":"Pope Leo XIV released a sweeping manifesto calling for responsible AI development. The pope’s call quickly became fodder for internet memes, with the #PopeLeoAI trend featuring playful videos and jokes. The Vatican’s effort to engage with tech giants was backed by a co‑author from Anthropic. Meanwhile, faith leaders and scholars interpret the pope’s stance as a modern vocal call for moral responsibility in technology.","image":"https://dims.apnews.com/dims4/default/0c2adf4/2147483647/strip/true/crop/4644x3096+0+0/resize/599x399!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fassets.apnews.com%2F09%2F50%2Fd6d54d85acef2b245afb32528215%2F9b934d6605e94cbcb0d692ade798c929","text":"<p>After Pope Leo XIV proclaimed his sweeping manifesto on artificial intelligence, the Vatican’s cautionary tone became a viral meme. An Instagram account with more than 3 million followers posted a video of the pope’s call to \"disarm AI\", captioning it \"Love my woke pope (I’m not even Catholic).\" </p>\n<p>On X, a user riffed with a meme echoing the encyclical, saying: \"The atheism leaving my body the moment the pope starts talking about how AI is an affront to God and the new Tower of Babel.\" The jokes illustrate a generation’s inversion of papal rhetoric: turning grave warnings into joking banter.</p>\n<p>\"People have really been looking for a response to AI,\" says 27‑year‑old Boston comedian Isabel Thurston. \"This is the first time the world’s religious leader is speaking to technology on such a scale.\" </p>\n<p>The announcement came just months after faith leaders and tech CEOs began dialogues in Silicon Valley over AI’s social impact. Pope Leo, a U.S. native, famously wore Nike sneakers during an appearance and quoted Gandalf from Tolkien’s \"Lord of the Rings\" in his encyclical Magnifica Humanitas. The pope’s casual approach has helped him tap into pop‑culture memes while maintaining a serious tone.</p>\n<p>Forty‑two‑thousand words of the encyclical urge \"men and women of goodwill\" to take a hand in building a more humane society. In the video, Leo humorously answered a youth’s request for the silly 6‑7 meme, a basketball‑like joke that made the pope a meme icon. The hilarity continues in his popemobile tours, where he waves to crowds with a grin.</p>\n<p>But the press is not uniformly amused. Some critics question the decision to partner with Anthropic’s co‑founder Christopher Olah, suggesting the pope may be leaning toward tech‑centric solutions. Others believe the pope’s critique of the outdated \"just war\" doctrine reflects a deep shift toward dialogue and forgiveness.</p>\n<p>Besides AI, Leo’s cultural ventures include hosting a Hollywood “World of Cinema” day and even golfing with the Chicago White Sox. He has taken out a custom Knicks jersey bearing \"Pope Leo 14\" as a sign of outreach to American pop culture. This visible blending of theology and entertainment has become a magnet for meme culture.</p>\n<p>Speakers from the Vatican and outside note that the pope’s embrace of cultural fluency may attract lapsed Catholics and resonant voices back to the faith. As Robert Orsi of Northwestern University points out: \"At times I think the language in this encyclical truly mirrors the Declaration of Independence.\" </p>\n<p>Ultimately, Pope Leo XIV is using both memes and ministry to offer a modern, relatable message: faith cannot ignore the digital age, but it can speak guided by human dignity and moral responsibility. The Roman presidency reminds us that the conversation between technology and tradition is only just beginning.</p>
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