🤖 Pope Leo XIV Calls For A Moral Compass In Our Increasingly AI-driven World

Letter From The Editor
So we’re only a few weeks into the Summer, and I’ve already missed a deadline for publishing this newsletter, but I had a semi-good reason. Yesterday was my “filming day” for a new YouTube channel I launched, but haven’t shared with you yet (details soon I promise). I had most of the newsletter written, but I wanted to change the lead story because after a few days it just didn’t hit as hard as I wanted, and I will not sacrifice quality for the sake of hitting a self-imposed deadline. So apologies for those you (hi Mom!) that wait for my newsletter to hit their inbox. I think today’s issue is a real banger, so enjoy!

In today’s newsletter I discuss Pope Leo XIV's calls for a moral compass in our increasingly AI-driven world, ‘Jurassic World Rebirth’ roared into theaters, Sean "Diddy" Combs' business empire is broke, Jack Dorsey, launches Bitchat bluetooth-powered app, the Earth is spinning faster causing you to lose time, and Fanatics is teaching retired athletes how to build their brands and not go broke in retirement.

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🤖 Pope Leo XIV Calls For A Moral Compass In Our Increasingly AI-driven World

Pope Leo XIV (the 14th) recently delivered a message to a gathering of prominent tech executives, academics, and Vatican officials, urging the development of an ethical framework for artificial intelligence (AI) that prioritizes human dignity and well-being. The address was a highlight of the Second Annual Conference on Artificial Intelligence, Ethics, and Corporate Governance, held from June 19 to 20, 2025, in Rome at the Vatican.

In his message, Pope Leo XIV called upon leaders from major technology companies, including OpenAI, Anthropic, Google, Palantir, Meta, IBM, Microsoft, Qualcomm, and Cisco, to adopt a "superior ethical criterion" for AI. He emphasized that AI, while a remarkable product of human ingenuity, is fundamentally a tool that must be guided by human intention. Pope Leo XIV expressed particular concern over AI's potential impact on the intellectual and neurological development of children and its capacity for misuse, leading to selfish gain, conflict, or aggression.

The Pope drew a parallel between the current AI revolution and the Industrial Revolution, referencing the work of his namesake, Pope Leo XIII (the 13th), who addressed labor rights and social justice during that transformative period. Pope Leo XIV reiterated the Church's commitment to contributing a moral perspective to the global conversation on AI, focusing on the integral development of individuals and societies, considering not just material well-being, but also intellectual and spiritual dimensions.

The Vatican has been actively involved in promoting ethical AI development, notably with the 2020 launch of the Rome Call for AI Ethics. This initiative, supported by companies such as IBM, Microsoft, and Qualcomm, established key principles including transparency, inclusion, responsibility, impartiality, reliability, and security.

The financial implications of AI's rapid advancement are significant. The global AI ethics market is projected to reach $36 billion dollars by 2034. The rise of AI also poses challenges, with estimates suggesting that up to 400 million workers, representing 15% of the global workforce, could be displaced. In response, the global upskilling market, valued at $485.4 billion dollars, is projected to grow by 4.9% annually through 2028, aiming to transition workers into higher-value roles.

Pope Leo XIV's call serves as a moral compass in an increasingly AI-driven world, reminding us that while technological innovation is boundless, common sense and decency is not a given.

💵 Business

Following Sean "Diddy" Combs' conviction, his business empire has unraveled, though his music catalog remains a money maker for now. Sean "Diddy" Comb net worth has reportedly plummeted from an estimated $900 million dollars to $400 million dollars due to various companies and brands cutting ties. He had previously divested from Revolt TV, and lost a Hulu reality series deal, while his Sean John fashion brand vanished from Macy's shelves. Just before his arrest and trial, Sean "Diddy" Combs settled a legal dispute with Diageo, where he relinquishing control of his lucrative spirits brands Ciroc and DeLeón. It appears that while Sean "Diddy" Combs might be rich, he hasn’t been able to slip away from the long arm of the law.

🍿 Entertainment

Jack Dorsey, the co-founder of Twitter and CEO of Block, has launched Bitchat, a new peer-to-peer messaging app that operates over Bluetooth mesh networks without requiring internet access. This privacy-focused Bitchat app offers end-to-end encrypted and ephemeral communication, notably reaching its 10,000-user beta limit on Apple's TestFlight shortly after release, though no specific financial figures for its development have been disclosed, as it was reportedly a weekend project for Jack Dorsey. Because who needs reliable internet when you have... Bluetooth? (reading my notes….yuppers you read that correctly. Welcome to 2025!)

🌕 Science

The Earth's spin is accelerating, leading to imperceptibly shorter days by 1.3-1.51 milliseconds shorter than normal, with some days in July and August 2025 predicted to be among the shortest ever recorded. This unprecedented speed-up could necessitate the first-ever "negative leap second" by 2029 to keep global timekeeping systems, like those used in financial markets for high-frequency trades and communication networks, in sync, preventing potential system hiccups and disruptions. So, don't worry about being late this Summer to that BBQ; just blame it on the Earth's newfound need for speed.

🪙 Crypto

Ripple has applied for a U.S. federal bank charter with the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency and a Federal Reserve master account, and now they’ve chosen the nation’s oldest bank BNY Mellon as the primary custodian for its U.S. dollar stablecoin, RLUSD.

These are strange times when the crypto industry is trying to gain more regulatory legitimacy, when the first crypto companies did everything they could to skirt the law when they first launched.

🏈 Sports

The $8 billion dollar sports merchandise company Fanatics is teaching a business course for professional athletes this Summer through their "Athlete Immersion Program" and "Chapter: Next." These programs, which are being led by Founder and CEO Michael Rubin, are aimed to equip athletes like Aaron Donald and Cole Anthony with the skills to manage their finances, launch brands, and explore new ventures, while reducing the staggering statistic of one-third of NFL players going bankrupt within two years of retirement. You think Fanatics is doing all this out of the goodness of their heart? Think again. They see $$$ signs in the future revenue streams from these newly business-savvy athletes.

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irl Media NEWSLETTER is written, edited, and published by Chris Thompson.