In his first encyclical, Pope Leo XIV cited the fantasy writer J.R.R. Tolkien to warn against the growing dominance of a technocratic paradigm, drawing parallels between modern AI and 19th-century industrialisation.

The pope’s stance on AI is clear: he views it as a tool that could be used for profit rather than solving global issues like diseases or climate change. He quotes Gandalf, saying we should focus on ‘uprooting the evil in the fields that we know’ instead of mastering all tides of the world.

Right-wing billionaires like Peter Thiel and Elon Musk have been known to misinterpret Tolkien’s works for their own ends. Thiel named his firm Palantir, after a spying device used by the villain Saruman, while Musk suggested the hobbits could represent anti-immigration sentiments – a reading that is both inaccurate and deeply unsettling.

The pope’s encyclical seems aimed at those who would use AI for authoritarian control or endless profit. With Thiel and Musk’s actions and continued support of controversial policies, it’s clear they are far from the heroes Tolkien intended. The Gandalf quote from Leo could be seen as a direct message to them: focus on what you can do now, not all that you might someday.