Can the Pope influence the future of AI?

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 Tech
• Gianfranco 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]

Find all the episodes of Download This Show on the ABC Listen App or wherever you get your podcasts.