Pope Leo XIV speaks during a meeting with bishops, members of the clergy and families whose members have been victims of environmental pollution at the Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta, in Acerra, Italy, on 23 May 2026. Pope Leo XIV speaks during a meeting with bishops, members of the clergy and families whose members have been victims of environmental pollution at the Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta, in Acerra, Italy, on 23 May 2026. Americans echo Pope Leo's concerns about AI: 'It threatens workers, privacy and human life' Guardian readers in the US spoke of fears about unregulated AI in response to the pope's encyclical warning about the risks of the technology I n his first major papal text since assuming leadership of the Catholic church last year, Pope Leo issued a stark warning about the rise of artificial intelligence this week, denouncing the "culture of power" driving the AI age. Calling for the "most rigorous" ethical constraints on AI - which he described as one of the greatest threats facing humanity today - the first US-born pope also warned of "new forms of slavery" emerging through the digital economy. Speaking to the Guardian, readers in the US echoed the pope's concerns, describing AI as an "unregulated" industry increasingly being used to the "detriment of too many people", while also raising fears about surveillance, labor displacement, war and environmental harm .

Christopher Marquis is a professor at the University of Cambridge and the author of The Profiteers. In 1930, in the depths of the Great Depression, John Maynard Keynes wrote a short essay called . It is often remembered for one striking prediction: by 2030, people in wealthy countries might only need to work about 15 hours a week. What Keynes imagined was a society advanced enough to solve what he called the "economic problem" of basic material provision. If technology kept improving, and societies kept growing richer, then fewer hours of human labor would be needed to produce the necessities and comforts of life.

AI is causing a crisis of agency. Back in the web-traffic-obsessed days of 2018, at a time of dawning awareness of how easily audiences online could be manipulated and spoofed by bots, the writer Max Read argued that the internet had crossed a threshold known as "the Inversion." Not only had bots proliferated across the internet; they had come to constitute it. In outnumbering humans, bots were also loosening everyone's grasp on the very reality of online experience. "What's gone from the internet, after all, isn't'truth,' but trust: the sense that the people and things we encounter are what they represent themselves to be," Read wrote.

'The Information' says Meta will release up to four new smart glasses before the year ends. Meta is developing an AI pendant and will start testing it over the coming year, according to . In addition, the company is reportedly gearing up to release up to four more models of smart glasses before the year ends, as part of an aggressive plan to make up for the massive losses of its Reality Labs division, which houses its hardware business. While Meta has yet to confirm the report, it was pretty much a given that the company would start working on an AI pendant after it purchased Limitless in 2025 . Limitless was the maker of an AI device literally called Pendant, a clip-on Bluetooth microphone that listens and records everything you say or hear throughout the day so it can provide summaries, transcripts and a searchable database of conversations and things you record for yourself.

There is plenty of intriguing sci-fi on offer this month, whether it's solar-powered cities from Adrian Tchaikovsky or a strange future from M. John Harrison A father mysteriously slips through time in Joseph Eckert's Writing this as the UK swelters under an unprecedented May heatwave, perhaps it's small wonder that so many science-fiction authors are currently imagining miserable versions of an overheated future in which their characters are struggling to survive. I'm intrigued by the sound of sci-fi legend M. John Harrison's upcoming take on a dystopian future, but if post-apocalyptic hellscapes aren't your thing, I'm also happy to report that there are other options for sci-fi fans this month. Next, I'm going to explore Isabel J. Kim's sci-fi spin on immigration,, as soon as I can get my hands on it. I am excited about this book: M. John Harrison is a really classy writer, winner of all sorts of awards, and his latest novel sounds right up my street. It's set in a future years after an obscure "crisis" changed everything, in a world where the seas are full of new creatures.

Do You Actually Need to Pay for Transcription Software? I tested Wispr Flow and various AI-powered transcription software to see whether you should bother subscribing or stick with free services. The pitch--that you'll be able to write faster by talking out loud instead of typing-- is compelling, especially if you're a slow typist. The marketing promises you'll be able to write at the speed of thought, 4x faster than your keyboard. I already type faster than I can think.

Is the Ferrari Luce's Design Really That Bad? 3 Italian Auto Experts Weigh In The first electric Ferrari is already this year's most divisive car. We asked three Italian auto industry professionals to explain where the EV's design makes sense, and where it doesn't add up. The Ferrari Luce, the first electric vehicle in the brand's history, has generated heated discussion online, as comments and opinions about the design continue to bounce around the web. The Luce, an electric sedan with a $650,000 price tag that Ferrari presented with pomp and circumstance at the Quirinale in Rome on Monday, has paid dearly for its coming out from behind the curtain. Since Monday, the automaker has been suffering an avalanche of complaints and skepticism about the Luce.

White House releases results of Donald Trump's physical amid mounting pressure Mom who faked her baby's kidnapping SOBS as she learns her fate after he was tortured to death The REAL story behind society heiress Belle Burden's sordid divorce saga is far more scandalous than everyone thinks. Truth behind explosive claims Justin Trudeau is Fidel Castro's son. Harry's fears of being'overshadowed' by his brother's children are beginning to come true with the huge interest in George's schooling - THIS is where I believe William and Catherine will send the young prince, ANDREW MORTON tells Palace Confidential Jennifer Lopez's child Emme unveils new trans identity: Emotional photos show vibrant celebrations, a new name and a touching connection to former stepdad Ben Affleck Ben Stiller's wife Christine Taylor finally reveals why she took the actor back after'challenging' 5 year split United Airlines flight forced to make emergency landing after'passenger ranting in Russian tried to storm cockpit' Grammy-winning folk music icon known for his boyish good looks is unrecognizable in yearbook photos... can you guess who he is? Hillary Clinton's swipe at Trump's treatment of the White House backfires as she gets brutal reminder of her own scandals while in residence Owner's beloved cat'killed by coyotes' after pet sitter lost her within five minutes of arriving Secret White House plan for disclosure of alien life LEAKED... Trump insiders have told me they fear mass panic as UFO videos are released: CHRIS SHARP Sydney Sweeney's boyfriend Scooter Braun reveals how he REALLY feels about her X-rated Euphoria scenes Judge makes stunning U-turn and reopens Trump IRS suit in major blow to president's $1.8bn'aweaponization fund' Lauren Sanchez Bezos flashes trademark grin while clinging to husband Jeff at her daughter's graduation... just hours before Blue Origin rocket exploded in huge fireball Dennis Quaid's bid to stop paying child support takes new twist: Insiders reveal his shameless attempt to involve Trump and brutal message for kids John Travolta's daughter Ella Bleu towers over the 6ft2in actor... so how tall is the 26-year-old nepo baby? Nancy Mace hits out at Trump snub and claims she lost president's endorsement over her push to release Epstein files I've spent five decades researching UFOs and speaking to highly confidential sources. This is what I've discovered about the CIA, China and aliens, writes top barrister JONATHAN CAPLAN KC. To most people, the idea that the US, China and other countries are in possession of crashed alien spacecraft is preposterous. Any suggestion that these craft have been recovered with non-human intelligences inside, dead or alive, stretches credulity to breaking point.

Ukraine has launched coordinated drone attacks on Russian energy infrastructure across multiple regions overnight. The most significant strike hit Taganrog, Rostov Oblast, where a major port fire broke out after drones hit a tanker, fuel tank and administrative building, Russia's RIA Novosti state media agency reported. "A tanker, a fuel tank, and an administrative building caught fire at the port of Taganrog as a result of a drone attack," Slyusar wrote. "According to preliminary information, there are no casualties. The information is being clarified."

When you purchase through links in our articles, we may earn a small commission. Get a lifetime license for Microsoft Office and Windows 11 Pro for $35 until May 31 at 11:59 p.m. PT. Microsoft 365 costs $99.99 per year at minimum, and Windows 10 stopped getting security updates last October. If you want to deal with both at once, then take a look at this bundle. This is a two-part deal that covers your OS and your productivity suite in one go.