An American Mathematician Looks to the Vatican for Answers on Artificial Intelligence

Artificial intelligence debates rarely involve religious leaders, let alone the pope. That assumption shattered when Pope Leo XIV began speaking publicly about the moral responsibilities of AI developers — and was promptly ridiculed online by a prominent Silicon Valley investor. For Po-Shen Loh, a mathematician at Carnegie Mellon University, the episode was more than internet drama. It was a sign that a serious conversation might finally be breaking through the noise.

Loh, a U.S.-born mathematician, inventor, and father of three, admits he never imagined the leader of the Catholic Church would become a visible voice in discussions about artificial intelligence. Nor did he expect a newly elected pope to be dragged into meme culture within months of taking office. But when Leo XIV urged technology builders to embed ethical judgment into their systems, Loh paid close attention.

For years, Loh has watched AI development accelerate with growing unease. His concern is not theoretical. Since the public release of large language models in the early 2020s, he has traveled extensively, speaking with educators, students, and parents about how rapidly advancing technology is reshaping attention, learning, and social behavior. His latest destination is the Vatican, where he hopes to explore whether moral leadership can influence the direction of technological progress.

“I’m trying to understand how humanity navigates what we’re building,” Loh said, describing his motivation for engaging with religious institutions rather than tech conferences alone.

He is not alone. A widening circle of scientists, engineers, and entrepreneurs has begun looking beyond Silicon Valley for ethical guidance, frustrated by a culture that often rewards speed over reflection. The pope’s willingness to speak directly about AI’s impact on human dignity caught Loh’s attention, particularly given Leo XIV’s academic background in mathematics.

In a social media post last November, the pope called on AI developers to treat moral discernment as a core design principle, arguing that technological systems should reflect justice, solidarity, and respect for life. The statement triggered a wave of online mockery, including a now-deleted response from billionaire investor Marc Andreessen that reduced the pope’s warning to a joke. To Loh, the reaction illustrated the depth of resistance to ethical limits within parts of the tech world.

During his stay in Rome, Loh is meeting with individuals connected to Vatican initiatives on technology and ethics. His goal is not to draft regulations or promote bans, but to explore collaboration — particularly around education and critical thinking.

What struck Loh most was learning that Leo XIV holds a degree in mathematics. He believes that background may explain the pope’s urgency. “It suggests someone who understands systems,” Loh said, “and who sees where unchecked acceleration leads.”

Loh’s own career reflects a deep commitment to mathematics education. As a teenager, he earned a silver medal representing the United States at the International Mathematical Olympiad. Years later, he returned as a coach, guiding the national team for nearly a decade. In 2021, he launched an experimental education project that blends livestreaming culture with math instruction, allowing gifted high school students to teach younger peers online.

His experience in classrooms, however, revealed a troubling pattern. Students’ lives increasingly revolve around phones, algorithms, and social validation. In his view, this environment encourages self-absorption and erodes attention spans — precisely the traits AI systems are designed to exploit.

At the same time, Loh worries about economic fallout. He argues that even modest productivity gains from AI could destabilize global labor markets. “If each worker becomes significantly more efficient,” he said, “entire categories of jobs disappear. Society isn’t prepared for that scale of displacement.”

Rather than proposing technical fixes, Loh focuses on mindset. His framework, which he calls “Thought + Full,” emphasizes empathy, critical reasoning, and purpose. The goal is to raise individuals who measure success not by optimization alone, but by their ability to improve other people’s lives.

His livestreamed classes resemble gaming broadcasts more than traditional lessons — colorful lighting, relaxed settings, real-time interaction. Yet participation comes with conditions. Students must demonstrate not only mathematical skill, but also social awareness and a willingness to support others.

In exchange for teaching, student instructors are paid and receive coaching in communication, confidence, and social interaction from professional actors and improvisers. Loh summarizes the arrangement bluntly: teach math, learn charisma.

The program has grown steadily, involving hundreds of teenage instructors and thousands of younger learners. Loh hopes it becomes a model for education that values human connection as much as intellectual ability.

He sees clear parallels between his work and the pope’s messaging. In a recent Vatican conference address, Leo XIV warned that artificial intelligence affects far more than productivity — it reshapes how people think, learn, judge, and relate to one another.

The pope has also framed AI as part of a broader historical pattern. By choosing the name Leo, he signaled continuity with Pope Leo XIII, who confronted the upheavals of the Industrial Revolution in the 19th century. Today’s technological transformation, Leo XIV argues, demands a similarly serious moral response.

For Loh, the Vatican’s involvement does not represent a clash between faith and science. Instead, it signals a rare opportunity: a chance to slow down a runaway conversation and ask what kind of future intelligence is meant to serve — and whom it might leave behind if left unchecked.