House Lawmakers Meet Pope Leo on AI Risks as Khanna Eyes Tax on Autonomous Agents
Updated
Updated · POLITICO · Aug 14
House Lawmakers Meet Pope Leo on AI Risks as Khanna Eyes Tax on Autonomous Agents
3 articles · Updated · POLITICO · Aug 14
Summary
Ro Khanna said House lawmakers used a Vatican meeting with Pope Leo to focus on AI’s ethical, economic and geopolitical risks, framing the talks around human dignity and equality.
Khanna said those principles mean humans must retain control over key decisions in health, finance, freedom and public services, while automation should not drive mass unemployment or block access to benefits.
The California Democrat also said he plans legislation to tax autonomous AI agents, aiming to push companies to keep hiring human workers and curb concentrated control over data and algorithms.
Pope Leo has already made AI a priority, warning in a May encyclical that unchecked development could deepen inequality, weaken social cohesion and erode moral responsibility amid a U.S.-China race for technological supremacy.
The visit comes as Congress has introduced dozens of AI bills and held several hearings but still lacks a comprehensive federal framework for governing the technology.