‘AI will displace human labor at large scale’: Anthropic co-founder Chris Olah warns

Anthropic co-founder Chris Olah gave a stern warning about the possibility of artificial intelligence (AI) displacing humans on a “very large scale.” Speaking at the presentation of Pope Leo's first encyclical, the executive emphasised the rapid development of the technology, and highlighted that it cannot be left solely in the hands of private companies.

Will AI replace humans?

During Olah’s address, he talked about “three questions for discernment,” which include the real possibility that AI will displace human labor at very large scale.” He further added that if that happens, helping people who lose their jobs would become a huge moral responsibility for society.

Must read: Pope Leo XIV warns AI could deepen inequality, erase human dignity if left unchecked

In addition to job displacement, Olah highlighted a much bigger problem statement, which is AI inequality. At present, advanced AI development is being controlled by powerful companies and wealthy nations. For this reason, AI benefits will be limited, and poorer nations or vulnerable populations may not get adequate access.

He also highlighted that AI companies like Anthropic face huge commercial competition, geopolitical tensions, and personal incentives that can sometimes conflict with the public good.

“Every frontier AI lab—including Anthropic—operates inside a set of incentives and constraints that can sometimes conflict with doing the right thing.”

“That is why, if we want this technology to go well, it is enormously important that there be people outside those incentives—people who care about things going well and insist on safety, who are paying close attention, who are willing to say hard things, who are willing to be our earnest, thoughtful critics,” he added.

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Pope Leo XIV’s AI encyclical

Pope Leo XIV, on May 25, presented the encyclical titled “Magnifica Humanitas,” which translates to Magnificent Humanity, that focused on protecting human values, dignity, and society as AI becomes more powerful and widespread. The encyclical further describes the AI advancement as a social challenge for humanity that could shape decisions for economies, politics, jobs, and other areas.

Pope Leo XIV said, “The power and prevalence of emerging technologies are interwoven into the fabric of daily life, shaping decision-making processes and deeply affecting the collective imagination.” He further stressed who will control the technology and its usage in the long run. The encyclical also raised concerns about AI surveillance, manipulation and concentration of digital power.