Technology billionaire Peter Thiel late warned that Swedish activist Greta Thunberg and technology critics or artificial intelligence are "antichrist legionaries" in private lectures on Christianity, which combine government oversight of Silicon Valley with an apocalyptic future, according to recordings that reached The Washington Post.

In four, about two-hour lectures that began last period and reached a climax on Monday at the Commonwealth Club in San Francisco, Thiel presented his spiritual views to a sold-out audience who was told to have their content "unofficial", according to the list of events. He argued that those who propose limitations in the improvement of technology not only hinder business, but besides endanger to destruct the United States and the era of global totalitarian rule.

"In the 17th, 18th century Antichrist would be Dr. Strangelove, a scientist who practiced all this bad and crazy science," Thiel said in his beginning speech on September 15. "In the 21st century, Antichrist is simply a luddite who wants to halt all science. It is individual like Greta or Eliezer," he said, referring to Thunberg and Eliezer Yudkowsky, a prominent criticism of the technological industry's approach to artificial intelligence.

Thunberg criticizes global capitalism as a driving origin environmental degradation, while Yudkowsky says for limiting investigation into artificial intelligence to prevent human intelligence from surpassing this technology. Thiel previously funded Yudkowsky's work, but in his September 15 lecture he said that he was now embarrassed by this association and that AI critics and others like him became "mad" according to recordings.

Thiel’s lectures take place during increasing time Christian Nationalism in the United States. Christians interpret the Bible Antichrist differently, but this figure is frequently understood as an adversary of God who appears in the last days.

"The Post" sent Thiel, via a press spokesman, a detailed list of questions about his comments during lectures, but Thiel refused to comment.

Yudkowsky said in a statement, "I realize that the authorities of many Christian denominations have stated that Thiel's views, identifying Antichrist with proposals to regulate the artificial intelligence industry, are not considered by them to be consistent with the conventional Christian faith." Thunberg spokesmen did not respond to the request for comment.

"The Post" reviewed the audio recordings of all 4 Thiel lectures, titled "The Antichrist: A Four-Part Lecture Series". A review of the sound example by Hany Farid, an expert in digital forensics and prof. at the University of California, Berkeley, showed that they were most likely authentic and not manipulated by artificial intelligence. Previously Reuters ed any of Thiel's lectures.

Thiel, 1 of the first Facebook investors and co-founder of Palantir, a data analyst, has long advocated libertarian views, claiming that politics, bureaucracy and regulations have led to economical stagnation in the United States and Europe.

However, fresh lectures seem to imply intensifying this ideology and trying to spread it on a larger scale. The recordings supply fresh details on how a billionaire seems to place those who criticize or regulate the creators of technology, in a spiritual worldview of good and evil, in which the future of all creation depends on giving the innovators a free hand.

Silicon Valley Leaders increased The fight against the regulation of artificial intelligence since president Donald Trump's inauguration. Thiel has close links with administration officials including with Vice president JD Vance, White home technological advisor Michael Kratsis and David SacksA White home wizard for artificial intelligence and cryptocurrency. As 1 of the most influential leaders in the industry, his efforts to show opposition to the supervision of technology improvement as a spiritual conflict may intensify the industry's crusade.

Thiel said in his 3rd lecture of 29 September that only a spiritual argument could inspire a appropriate consequence to the threat of a increasing network of global rules.

"There are many rational reasons why a country of 1 planet is simply a bad idea: Turn the planet into a prison; I think taxation rates would be very high," he said, according to the recording. "I think, however, that if you take it distant from the biblical context, you will never consider it frightening enough. You'll never truly resist."

Billionaire's lectures were besides notable as a decisive demonstration of religion in the industry, which historically was secular. Christianity has late become a crucial presence in any influential technological circles, partially due to ACTS 17 Collective, a non-profit organization dealing with spreading Christian principles in the technology manufacture that organised Thiel's lectures.

Those holding tickets were obliged to take part in a full series of 4 speeches, as well as to respect the rule unofficially. Thiel suggested in his 3rd lecture on 29 September that the regulation was intended to draw more attention to his ideas. "It's a beautiful good marketing stunt if you want everyone to hear about something and not let anyone in the room," he said. I don't brag, but I'm not completely incompetent.

Billionaire spoke for almost 8 hours during 4 private lectures on his explanation of the function of technology in society and the world, according to recordings, citing sources from the Bible and theological and philosophical texts to nipponese anime.

He admitted that technology could have a negative impact on people and society, but argued that limiting its improvement would be more harmful.

"Maybe these things are good or bad – stopping them seems much, much worse," he said, according to the recordings. "If the net or artificial intelligence distorts any people, but we gotta completely disable it, it seems like it's like throwing out of a pan into a fire – a cure that is much worse than a disease".

Shredded mosaic state rules imposes restrictions on the improvement of artificial intelligence, requiring California companies to test products for safety and prevent Texas companies from discriminating protected classes. Despite increased activity In Washington in fresh years, no national law has been passed.

Thiel argued that the criticism of technology and the call for stricter regulation by Thunberg and others seem to be the echo of the Biblical interpretations of the Antichrist, who will gain power, offering the planet "peace and security" against the apocalypse's destruction. Earlier he quoted Thunberg in June interview for the fresh York Times

Thiel besides accused Swedish philosopher Nick Bostrom, who is known for popularizing the thought that humanity would yet come up with a possibly dangerous "superintelligence", to advocate technological constraints that would inhibit society.

In an interview, Bostrom said his views were "complex" and evolved to focus more on the affirmative possible of artificial intelligence. "Maybe he needs a fresh casting agency for his demonology," Bostrom said about Thiel.

Thiel, whose net assets are around $27 billion, according to Bloomberg Billionaires Index, besides utilized his private conversations to criticize financial regulations. He said specified rules were a sign that a single planet government had begun to emerge, which could be taken over by the antichrist character, who could then usage it to control people.

"The hiding of money has become rather difficult," Thiel said, according to the recordings. "A remarkable device of taxation treaties, financial supervision and sanction architecture was built". The wealth gives "the illusion of power and autonomy," added Thiel, according to the recordings, "but you have the impression that it can be picked up at any time."

Thiel has deep ties to Trump's administration and was 1 of the first representatives of the technology manufacture to support the President's first start in the 2016 presidential election. In 2024, he did not donate to any Republican politician, but was part of Technology elite networksThat helped install Vance, the ward, as vice president.

Thiel made a donation to GOP candidates this year, donating $850,000 to the joint fundraising committee of the talker of the home of Representatives Mike Johnson (R-Louisian), according to Federal electoral documents.

In his lectures and questions and answers that followed each of them, Thiel presented views on whether individuals specified as president Trump, Chinese president Xi Jinping, erstwhile president Joe Biden and Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates were figures akin to the Antichrist.

Biden and Xi were not charismatic enough, said Thiel, according to the recordings, and although he described Gates as "a very, very horrible person," the investor said he was "not remotely capable of being the Antichrist."

Thiel's comments on Trump were more complex, as recorded. "If in a sincere, rational, well-founded manner you are willing to submit an argument that Trump is the Antichrist, I will perceive to you," he said. – If you do not want to make specified an argument, you may request to be open to the anticipation that it is at least comparatively good.

Thiel's spokesman, Jeremiah Hall, said, "Peter does not believe Trump is the Antichrist. He challenged Trump's liberal critics to present this argument if they want Peter to perceive to them, and he knows that in practice they cannot and will not. The White home did not respond to the request for comment.

Thiel besides spoke of another powerful personalities in the technology industry. He accused another technology investor Marc Andreessen about the "pure propaganda of gibberish from Silicon Valley", according to recordings, in Andreessen's 2023 essay titled "The Techno-Optimist Manifesto", which predicted that artificial intelligence would rapidly change society in many affirmative ways.

Thiel had softer words about the CEO of Tesla Elona Muska, according to recordings, calling the entrepreneur who late praised Christianity, 1 of the "smarter, more caring people" he knows.

The investor said that he had late encouraged Musk to retreat from his 2012 commitment to the Giving Pledge movement, co-founded by Gates, who asks wealthy people to usage most of his luck for charity.

"$200 billion – if you're not going to be careful – will go to left-wing nonprofit organizations that will be chosen by Bill Gates," said Thiel, who warned Musk, according to the recording, presenting the philanthropist as 1 of the sinister forces harassing technologists.

Musk did not respond to the request for comment. Andreessen and Gates spokesmen did not respond to requests for comment. Reuters had previously reported on any of Thiel's comments on Trump and Musk.

Thiel has long been a zealous Christian, but in fresh times he and another prominent personalities from Silicon Valley have been speaking more and more about their faith. This movement has gained momentum since Trump's re-election and has become active in the fast improvement of artificial intelligence, which any see as possibly all-powerful technology that raises deep questions about humanity.

ACTS 17, a Christian non-profit organization that organised Thiel's speeches, is an acronym from Acknowoffing Christ in Technology and Society. His name besides refers to the fresh Testament book of Acts, in which the apostle Paul goes to Athens, where he discusses the Christian Gospel with philosophers.

The group's founder, Michelle Stephens, is married to Trae Stephens, an investor in venture capital Thiela, Founders Fund and co-founder Anduril, a military technology firm.

Stephens said the thought for ACTS 17 He came by. for her husband's 40th birthday organization in 2023. During the ceremony, as she said in the interviews, Thiel gave a speech on Christ and miracles, prompting her to realize that serving the elite is just as crucial as Christian teaching about serving the poor.

Stephens introduced Thiel at his first lecture on September 15 as "one of the large capitalists", as well as "great Christians of our time." Protesters gathered before the event, according to reports of local mediaSome disguised as devils or holding banners that accused Thiel himself of being the Antichrist.

Requested comment, Stephens asked The Post to "respect" the policy of the event beyond registration and did not comment on it further.

Garry Tan, CEO of the Y Combinator start-up incubator and associate of ACTS 17, organized in his home in San Francisco over the last year – a converted church – events about the intersection of Christian faith, discipline and technology.

One of the meetings held by Tan in June included Pat Gelsinger, erstwhile CEO of Intel chip maker, and was organized by ACTS 17, according to post Gelsinger's socialite. "So profound a discussion about 'Holy Change' in life, artificial intelligence, leadership and faith," he wrote.

A spokesperson for Playground, a venture capital company in which Gelsinger is simply a complimentary, refused to comment.

Tan said that in his opinion the comparison of Thiel's possible overregulation of artificial intelligence to Antichrist was "provoking to think" and "a small with a wink of an eye" usage of this concept. "This is simply a useful intellectual framework for how technology interacts with society," he said.

He added that excessive regulation of atomic energy has aggravated the climate crisis. "What if we do it with an age of intelligence? The future won't happen again, but it will rhyme."