The pope’s AI encyclical isn’t really about AI
Pope Leo XIV addresses societal issues in AI encyclical.
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Pope Leo XIV released his encyclical, Magnifica Humanitas, addressing the safeguarding of humanity in the age of artificial intelligence. While AI serves as the focal point, the document delves into longstanding issues such as inequality, war, and the erosion of democracy, arguing that technology governed by a small elite cannot benefit the common good. The pope calls for clear criteria and effective oversight in AI development to prevent the concentration of power that exacerbates societal inequalities.
Artificial intelligence is making significant inroads into sales functions, moving beyond traditional roles to become direct participants in revenue conversations. With the AI sales development representative market expected to grow to $5.81 billion in 2026, a staggering 87% of sales organizations are already leveraging AI for tasks like prospecting and lead scoring, resulting in notable increases in pipeline volume and conversion rates.
During the launch of Pope Leo XIV's encyclical 'Magnifica Humanitas,' Anthropic co-founder Christopher Olah presented findings suggesting that AI models may exhibit signs of introspection and emotional-like states. He cautioned that these systems, which are modeled after human cognition, could potentially displace human labor on a large scale. The Pope echoed the need for responsibility in AI development, stating that AI is never neutral and urging for strong legal frameworks to ensure ethical usage.
Google Deepmind's AlphaProof Nexus has autonomously solved nine of the 353 open Erdős problems it attempted, including two that had remained unanswered for 56 years. Utilizing the Gemini 3.1 Pro language model, the system generates proof steps in Lean, a formal programming language, enabling it to produce rigorous and machine-checkable solutions at an inference cost of just a few hundred dollars per problem. While many Erdős problems remain unsolved, researchers view AlphaProof Nexus as a valuable tool for advancing mathematical research.
SoftBank Group Corp. shares surged to a record high, fueled by expectations of significant returns from its investments in OpenAI and SB Energy Corp. The stock rose 4.6% during Tokyo trading on Monday, contributing to a remarkable 40% increase since May 20, and elevating the company's market value to over ¥40 trillion ($252 billion).
Huawei has announced a new chip design approach called LogicFolding, which will be implemented in its Kirin smartphone chips this fall. This development comes amidst increasing competition with Nvidia and Apple, particularly as Nvidia faces U.S. export restrictions that limit its ability to sell advanced chips in China. Analysts have raised concerns about whether Huawei's technology can truly match the performance of 1.4-nanometer manufacturing processes, which could significantly impact the competitive landscape in the semiconductor market.
Delivery Hero's shares jumped 10% after reports emerged that Uber is considering a new bid for the German food delivery company. The initial offer of €33 per share was rejected, prompting Uber's board to discuss a potentially improved proposal. Delivery Hero confirmed that Uber has become its largest shareholder, increasing its stake significantly from 7% to 19.5% as it navigates its strategic review process.
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Pope Leo XIV addresses societal issues in AI encyclical.
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Pope Leo XIV issues a call for ethical AI governance.
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