# Xinzhiyuan Report
## Introduction
While Silicon Valley debates **when** AI might surpass humanity, a group of “doomsday believers” has already turned its gaze toward one of the world’s oldest seats of power — the **Vatican**.
Former Google researcher **John‑Clark Levin** is striving to “red-pill” Pope Leo XIV **before** major tech giants pacify the Church with a softer narrative.
His warning is stark: *Judgment Day may not come as divine punishment, but as runaway code.*
This is a contest between **faith and algorithms**, with humanity’s fate in the AGI era at stake.
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## Code vs. Faith in the Vatican
In the Vatican — humanity’s oldest power center — one group of believers is warning another: the end might not come from divine wrath, but from artificial code.
When discussing the apocalyptic risks of **Artificial General Intelligence (AGI)**, Pope Leo XIV is far from the first name most would think of.
But Levin sees things differently.
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### Who Is John‑Clark Levin?
- **Current Role:** Research Director for futurist **Ray Kurzweil** at Kurzweil Technologies.
- **Education:** Master’s degree from Harvard Kennedy School; PhD from Cambridge University.
- **Specialization:** Roadmaps toward Artificial Superintelligence (ASI), especially life sciences.
- **Publications:** Featured in *The Singularity Is Nearer* (NYT bestseller, summer).
- **Advisory Work:** Senior Advisor at Niall Ferguson’s consultancy Greenmantle, advising governments, NGOs, and Fortune 500s.
- **Lectures:** Delivered at the U.S. Naval War College, RAND Corporation, and the Centre for the Study of Existential Risk (CSER).
- **Writing Credits:** Published in *The Wall Street Journal*, *The Washington Post*, *TIME*, and *MIT Technology Review*.
- **Creative Side:** NYT crossword designer, humor columnist for *McSweeney’s*, president of the Cambridge University Magic Society.
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## Mission to the Vatican
Last month, Levin traveled solo to Rome, determined to plant AGI awareness at the heart of Catholic power.
**Key actions:**
- Built a quiet network of 30+ scholars, scientists, and clergy — jokingly termed the *AI Avengers Alliance*.
- Focused on one goal: **Push the Vatican to confront AI’s extreme destructive potential**.
- Urged: “If we wait until we’re 100% sure before acting, it’ll be too late.”
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## The Vatican’s Soft Power
Even if AGI’s arrival is debated, its **potential risks** are concrete:
- Extreme wealth inequality
- Geopolitical instability
- Disasters comparable to nuclear war or pandemics
**Why the Vatican matters:**
- Minimal physical power, **enormous soft power**: 1.4B Catholics, vast diplomatic reach.
- Unique neutral stance amid U.S.–China tech rivalry.
- Pope Leo XIV:
- First-ever American pope
- Holds a mathematics degree
- Reportedly highly technically literate — better equipped than any predecessor to understand code.
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## Seeking Truth Beyond the “Spinning Jenny”
Levin’s Vatican appeal was pragmatic:
1. **Acknowledge** AGI’s possibility.
2. **Take risks seriously**.
3. **Initiate** a formal scientific advisory process (similar to Pope Francis’ climate change efforts).
**Vatican & AI so far:**
- Public fascination: “Balenciaga Pope” — an AI-generated deepfake image of Pope Francis in a white puffer coat.
- Serious intent: Pope Leo XIV reportedly drafting an encyclical on AI — a doctrinal text of highest Catholic authority.
**Levin’s concern:**
Vatican discussions remain centered on *general AI ethics*, not AGI’s runaway risks.
Metaphor used:
> “If you ignore AGI specifically, it’s like studying the Industrial Revolution by looking only at the Spinning Jenny — you miss the upheaval that followed.”
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## Like a Private Detective in Rome
In Silicon Valley slang, **“AGI-pilling”** means convincing someone AGI is real and urgent.
For Levin, “pilling” the Vatican was harder than lobbying Washington:
- The Holy See is a hybrid of **royal court, political hub, and religious center**.
- Few people can bridge Catholic theology and AI safety — “You could fit them all in one elevator.”
- Gaining access felt like *1950s detective work* — chatting with priests in streets and cafes.
**Urgency:**
Tech giants may influence the Pope first, framing AI risks in commercially favorable terms.
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### A Glimpse of Opportunity
**Builders AI Forum** in Rome allowed genuine technical conversations.
Levin organized two AGI-themed side events — both full — revealing unexpected clergy interest in existential tech.
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## A Near Miss with the Pope
Levin almost got his audience with the Pope:
- Prepared a one-page **direct appeal**:
1. Commend leadership.
2. Urge dedicated AGI consultation.
3. Offer expert support.
- Last-minute change: Two groups merged; private exchange dropped.
- Handed the letter to the Pope’s secretary instead.
**Outcome:**
- Low expectation for reply, but doors remain open.
- “Everyone I spoke to was willing to hear my message — no one told me to get lost.”
Reference:
[https://www.theverge.com/ai-artificial-intelligence/829813/ai-agi-pope-leo](https://www.theverge.com/ai-artificial-intelligence/829813/ai-agi-pope-leo)
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## Final Thoughts
Even if convinced, the Church would face a long road before implementing AGI scientific consultations.
However, Levin’s journey suggests **the Vatican is more open to AGI discussions than Silicon Valley assumes**.
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## Connecting Faith, Policy, and AI
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Tools like these ensure dialogue on **species-level challenges** — like AGI — can cross **boundaries, disciplines, and audiences** as effectively as any Vatican pronouncement.
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