Tech billionaire Peter Thiel has reportedly warned that attempts to regulate artificial intelligence may be playing straight into the hands of the Antichrist.
According to attendees of a lecture in San Francisco this week, the Palantir and PayPal co-founder argued that fear-driven restrictions on emerging technology risk giving rise to a force that promises “peace and safety” while suffocating human progress. Notes from the talk, later picked up by the San Francisco Standard, claimed Thiel tied AI regulation to biblical prophecy, suggesting such control could pave the way for “the devil himself.”
The remarks come as Thiel, a longtime conservative donor and devout Christian, embarks on a sold-out lecture series on the Antichrist, organized by the Acts 17 Collective — a nonprofit blending theology with Silicon Valley tech culture. Michelle Stephens, who co-founded the group and is married to one of Thiel’s business partners, has reportedly enforced strict “off the record” rules, revoking access to attendees who leaked details online.
Thiel has not shied away from dramatic religious analogies in the past. He has previously warned that global fears over AI could be exploited to enforce a “one-world totalitarian state” and even suggested climate activist Greta Thunberg might embody Antichrist-like qualities.
The lectures arrive against the backdrop of Palantir’s deepening ties to Western defense projects. The company recently announced a £1.5 billion UK investment, with Britain’s Ministry of Defence expected to spend up to £750 million on its battlefield AI. But its work has drawn controversy, including allegations — which Palantir denies — that its software was linked to Israeli military targeting systems in Gaza.