Anthropic co-founder Chris Olah has issued a stark warning about artificial intelligence's potential impact on employment, stating there is a real possibility that AI would displace human labour at very large scale. According to reports from Reuters, Olah stated that "things are moving fast. It's a really powerful technology. There's a risk that things could go badly, and it's incumbent on all of us to push this in a good direction." He emphasized that if such displacement occurs, supporting those affected would become a moral imperative of historic proportions. Olah noted that the concerns raised by the public, especially about young people and AI replacing human jobs, were understandable due to the speed at which the technology is developing.
Olah identified three major areas requiring urgent attention as AI development accelerates: the risk of large-scale job displacement, ensuring AI benefits are shared globally, and improving understanding of increasingly complex and opaque AI systems. As reported by Reuters, he questioned "AI development is concentrated in a handful of wealthy nations. How can we ensure the gains of AI are shared globally?" These concerns reflect the growing recognition that AI's impact extends far beyond the engineering community, requiring broader societal engagement and oversight mechanisms.
Olah argued that the development of AI technology cannot be left solely in the hands of private companies, calling for stronger oversight from governments, religious institutions and civil society groups as AI systems become increasingly powerful. As reported by Reuters, he noted that every frontier AI lab operates inside a set of incentives and constraints that can sometimes conflict with doing the right thing. Even well-intentioned researchers remain influenced by commercial, geopolitical and personal pressures. Olah has spent most of his career making AI systems safer and has interacted with over 15 religions over technology concerns, demonstrating his long-standing engagement with religious communities on AI safety and ethical considerations.
The warning was delivered during the presentation of Pope Leo's first encyclical focused on artificial intelligence, highlighting the growing importance of ethical considerations in AI development. According to Reuters, Anthropic was the only big tech company invited to participate in the Vatican event, with the decision on who to invite made by the Vatican. Olah appeared alongside the pope during this significant religious and technological milestone, underscoring the intersection of spiritual guidance and artificial intelligence advancement. The AI lab participated in the Vatican event soon after acquiring Stainless, the startup whose software is used by rival AI firms like Google and OpenAI.
Olah welcomed the Catholic Church's growing engagement with AI, stating that "the questions raised by AI are bigger than the AI research community." As reported by Reuters, he called for "earnest, thoughtful critics" who could challenge technology companies and help guide the development of advanced AI systems responsibly. The company's previous clashes with the Trump administration over AI safeguards, including restrictions on autonomous weapons targeting and domestic surveillance, demonstrate the complex regulatory landscape facing AI developers. Anthropic, the U.S.-based company behind the Claude AI models, continues to advocate for responsible AI development through external scrutiny and oversight mechanisms.
