LinkedIn founder Reid Hoffman responds to Pope Leo XIV’s call for ethical AI, says: Technologies are defined as good or bad depending on…

Reid Hoffman, the billionaire co-founder of LinkedIn, fired back at Pope Leo XIV’s call for ethical AI development with a forceful defense of Silicon Valley’s approach to artificial intelligence, insisting technology’s moral value depends entirely on human choices rather than inherent design.“Technologies are defined as good or bad depending on how they are used,” Hoffman posted on X on November 9, directly quoting the Pope’s message from a day earlier. “It’s upon us, as designers, innovators, builders, investors, and humans, to shape technology for the betterment of humanity.”The public exchange came after Pope Leo XIV addressed participants at the Builders AI Forum 2025, urging AI developers to embed “moral discernment” into their work and create systems reflecting “justice, solidarity, and a genuine reverence for life.” The pontiff had warned that technological innovation carries “ethical and spiritual weight” as every design choice expresses a vision of humanity.

LinkedIn cofounder pushes back against calls to slow AI development

Hoffman, a prominent Democrat donor who has notably refused to align with President Trump’s administration, expanded his argument across multiple posts. He characterized humanity itself as fundamentally technological, writing: “A thing that makes humans different from all other life on earth—and has allowed us to flourish—is that we continue to build technologies. We are homo techne.”The venture capitalist, whose portfolio includes significant AI investments such as Inflection AI, rejected what he calls the false choice between reckless acceleration and overcautious restraint. “We should and must keep accelerating, but we should use more than just the gas pedal. We should also use the steering wheel,” he wrote, dismissing both extreme positions in the AI safety debate.In a recent interview with The Guardian, Hoffman acknowledged his financial interests but defended his credibility. “I tend to start with my beliefs and follow with my money,” he told the publication. “Not kissing [Trump’s] ring, like many others have, is probably an economic limiter—but it’s better to be principled.”

AI as tool, not friend: Drawing boundaries on digital companionship

Despite his optimistic outlook, Hoffman has drawn hard lines on certain AI applications. Speaking on the Possible podcast, he strongly opposed marketing AI systems as emotional companions. “I don’t think any AI tool today is capable of being a friend,” he stated, according to Live Mint. “And I think if it’s pretending to be a friend, you’re actually harming the person in so doing.”Hoffman argued that nations embracing AI early will dominate both economically and culturally. “The countries that adopt the cognitive Industrial Revolution early and firmly will win massive amounts of economic strength, and their values will end up shaping the world,” he explained, explicitly positioning Western democracies against authoritarian competitors like China.His central message remained defiant: “It is not ‘cringe’ to continue to want to build more moral, more abundant societies.”