The Intelligence from The Economist
Holy smoke! An American pope
May 9, 2025
Shailesh Chitnis, a global business writer for The Economist, joins John Hooper, the church's Italy and Vatican correspondent, and Anne Rowe, obituaries editor, to discuss the historic appointment of Robert Prevost as the first American pope, Leo XIV. They explore how his leadership might steer the Church amidst pressing issues like the clerical sex abuse crisis. The conversation also highlights the escalating AI arms race between the U.S. and China, drawing parallels to the Cold War. Plus, a heartfelt tribute to opera pioneer Martin Graham adds a cultural touch.
27:05
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Quick takeaways
- The election of Pope Leo XIV, Robert Prevost, symbolizes a potential reconciliation of traditional and modern values within the Catholic Church.
- The U.S. faces challenges in enforcing export controls on AI chips, highlighting the complexities of global supply chains amid rising competition with China.
Deep dives
The Race for AI Dominance
The competition in artificial intelligence (AI) has intensified, particularly between the United States and China, with implications for both national security and economic policy. America is striving to retain its edge in AI technology amidst China's ambition to lead globally by 2030. One of the strategies employed by the U.S. has been imposing export controls on AI chips to limit access for Chinese firms. However, enforcing these restrictions proves challenging due to the intricate global supply chains involved in chip manufacturing, which often allows for circumvention by illicit means.
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