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The pope’s AI encyclical isn’t really about AI

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Pope Leo XIV published his first encyclical on Monday, dubbed Magnifica Humanitas, on “safeguarding the human person in the time of artificial intelligence.” And while AI is the hook, the problems Leo focuses on are older and more pervasive: inequality, war, the erosion of democracy, and the concentration of power in the hands of those who don’t necessarily care whether humanity writ large remains magnificent.

Throughout the 200-page document, which the pope presented alongside Anthropic co-founder Chris Olah, Leo argues that technology built and governed by a small elite cannot, by definition, serve the common good. 

“When such power is concentrated in the hands of a few, it tends to become opaque and evade public oversight, increasing the risk of distorted forms of development that give rise to new dependencies, exclusions, manipulations and inequalities,” he writes. 

“In fact, as with every major technological shift, AI tends to amplify the power of those who already possess economic resources, expertise and access to data,” the encyclical continues, highlighting concerns that elites can use their power to “shape information and consumption patterns, influence democratic processes and steer economic dynamics to their own advantage.”

The encyclical comes a few days after President Donald Trump delayed signing his executive order on AI, which would have given the government oversight over new models before they are released, reportedly on the urging of VC investor and former White House AI czar David Sacks.

Pope Leo called for AI to be guided by “clear criteria and effective oversight” grounded in participation from communities that will be affected by it. More concretely, Leo called for an end to the AI arms race “for ever more powerful algorithms and larger datasets” that companies and countries believe will “secure geopolitical or commercial dominance.”

“To disarm means discrediting the assumption that technical power automatically confers the right to govern,” he wrote.

Again, these dynamics predate AI. Pope Leo XIII’s 1891 Rerum Novarum addressed the same concentration of power during the Industrial Revolution, but we needn’t look back that far. Elon Musk’s acquisition of Twitter and deployment of the platform to help elect Trump; the hundreds of millions flowing from tech elites into super PACs to block AI regulation — the kind of pattern that clearly inspired Leo XIV’s work.

The pope comes to the same conclusion that many have arrived at: the surreal power and capabilities of today’s AI raise the stakes enormously. 

Notre Dame Law School professor Paolo Carozza, a member of the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences and chair of the Meta Oversight Board, told TechCrunch that AI-driven misinformation and deepfakes have “corroded our capacity to recognize what’s true and what’s not true, and that really has consequences for democratic politics.” The tech industry’s practice of “harvesting and manipulating” human data, he added, poses “fundamental challenges to cognitive freedom.”

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Chaos in the Ring: Women Celebrities to Headline October Edition as Balmoral Boss Speaks on Portable-Okocha Episode

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The October edition of Chaos in the Ring is set to take a new dimension, with Balmoral International Group boss, Ezekiel Adamu, revealing that women celebrities are being lined up to headline the next edition of the fast-growing boxing entertainment series.

Adamu, who spoke exclusively with Sports247, said preparations are already at an advanced stage, promising fans another memorable night when the event returns in October.

Read Also: Anthony Joshua’s Commitment To Training Sessions Motivates Me To Succeed In Boxing – Destiny Omo Ologo

“We are looking at getting women celebrities and we are almost done. The October edition of Chaos in the Ring will be the biggest yet. I won’t let the cat out of the bag yet, but you can be rest assured that the fans will have another memorable moment as our matchmakers are working on some huge fights,” Adamu said.

The Balmoral boss also explained the broader vision behind the event, stressing that Chaos in the Ring is designed to use boxing and entertainment as tools for youth engagement, tourism and national development.

According to him, sport has the unique ability to bring people together regardless of religion, politics or social background.

“Sports unite everyone. We don’t care about religion, political power or anything. We just dive into it. That’s what we are using sport as a tool for tourism and youth education,” he said.

Adamu also highlighted Balmoral’s ambition to build stronger international relationships and create opportunities for Nigerian fighters to compete on bigger stages.

He disclosed that the organisation has continued to strengthen its relationship with international promoters, with the long-term objective of having Nigerian boxers feature on major international cards.

“Bit by bit, brick by brick, we are getting there. We should be having a lot more world champions here in Nigeria, built in Nigeria and belonging to Nigeria,” he said.

On the controversial episode involving Portable and Okocha, Adamu admitted that the incident provided a major learning experience for the organisers.

He insisted that boxing events must protect the integrity of the sport and ensure that fighters honour their commitments once agreements are reached.

“I think we learned a lesson recently with the fight involving Portable and Okocha. It was a huge lesson. I don’t think we will be having that kind of fight where a fighter will just walk out of the ring without having to pay for it, the contracts all be tightened to prevent boxers walking away from fight without consequences”, Adamu stated.

He added that future editions would place greater emphasis on ensuring that fighters, spectators and other stakeholders have a professional experience.

Adamu also clarified Balmoral’s role as a promoter, stressing that the company does not manage the careers of the fighters it promotes.

He explained that managers are responsible for the long-term careers, training, welfare and financial interests of boxers, while Balmoral focuses on promotion and event creation.

“I always tell people, ‘know thyself.’ I know myself. I’m not a manager; I’m a creator,” Adamu said.

With the October edition already taking shape, expectations are high that Chaos in the Ring will continue to blend boxing, celebrity entertainment and sports promotion into one of Nigeria’s emerging combat-sports attractions.

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Adeleke’s victory reflects will of Osun voters – Fintiri

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Adamawa State Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri has congratulated Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, on his victory in the state governorship election.

This is contained in a statement signed by Humwashi Wonosikou, Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, on Sunday.

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