Silicon Valley's argument against regulating AI: would be the Antichrist (www.theverge.com)

Billionaire investor Peter Thiel used a four-part religious lecture series in San Francisco to argue that the coming "Antichrist" will take the form of a one‑world government that imposes heavy regulation on science, technology and AI in the name of "peace and safety." Drawing on eschatology and prior podcast interviews, Thiel warned that existential risks—nuclear war, environmental collapse, engineered bioweapons and autonomous killer robots guided by AI—create fear that can be exploited by a charismatic regime promising security. He told an audience of tech professionals (the event was hosted by Acts 17, a nonprofit focused on connecting Christianity with tech creators) that opposing or regulating technological progress could hasten that outcome. Thiel’s remarks sit alongside his political and financial ties to tech and national power centers, including cofounding Palantir and backing prominent politicians. For the AI/ML community this is significant because it reframes governance and safety efforts as not just technical tradeoffs but moral and existential battlegrounds. If influential figures cast regulation as a slippery path to authoritarian global control, it can harden opposition to oversight, influence policymaker views, and shape public sentiment—potentially slowing adoption of safety standards, audits, or limits on high‑risk capabilities like lethal autonomous systems. The episode highlights how cultural, religious and financial motives can intersect with AI governance debates, underscoring the need for clear, evidence‑based communication about risk, safeguards, and democratic accountability.