Pope Warns of AI Apocalypse

Pod Save the World

Politics, News

4.8 • 25.4K Ratings

🗓️ 27 May 2026

⏱️ 82 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Tommy and Ben dig into a week of an “almost” deal, a sweeping AI warning, and a terrifying Ebola outbreak.

First up, the Iran deal that was supposedly days away somehow produced new US airstrikes instead, and the guys break down why the path to a permanent ceasefire remains littered with obstacles from Netanyahu wanting to escalate in Lebanon, to Trump suggesting Iran join the Abraham Accords. Then they bid a fond farewell to Tulsi Gabbard, who resigned as Director of National Intelligence under circumstances that depend entirely on who you ask. Pope Leo XIV dropped a 42,000-word encyclical on artificial intelligence that urges leaders to grapple with the impacts it will have on war, democracy, and the future of humanity. Trump’s Taiwan sellout is now official, with the administration quietly pausing a $14 billion arms sale just in case they need the munitions to fight Iran. The guys also give a sobering update on the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and a man raises awareness for prostate cancer and bullying in schools by putting his manhood on the line. And finally, Tommy sits down with Ben about his brand-new book, All We Say: The Battle for American Identity: A History in 15 Speeches, out now.

Buy Ben’s book All We Say: The Battle for American Identity: A History in 15 Speeches and subscribe to his Substack here.

For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email transcripts@crooked.com and include the name of the podcast, episode title, and episode date.

Transcript

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0:00.0	POTS of the World is brought to you by Ridge. It is so annoying that all your devices have different cards and chargers and inputs, your headphones, your watch, your tablet. It's all different. Thanks to Ridge, those days are over. Ridge revolutionized the wallet. Now they've changed the game for portable charging. Ridge's 5-1 travel power bank has built in cables and lets you charge all of your devices at the same time with just one power bank and no extra cables. And with Father's Day coming up, if you're trying to think of a gift, your dad will actually use this is it. It has MagSafe wireless charging, Apple Watch chargers, lightning and USBC. Every way you need to charge all in one premium device for up to three full phone charges. It's available in Matt Olive, Basecamp Orange, Matt Black, and the newest color atomic purple. They come with an LED charge status indicator that displays battery and charge levels at a glance. Like everything Ridge makes, it is built to last with free shipping and a 90-day risk-free trial and a lifetime warranty. This is the last power bank you will ever need. One thing to pack five ways to power
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1:05.2	PSTW and you're all set. After you purchase, they'll ask you where you heard about them.
1:08.9	Please support our show and tell them we sent you.
1:11.7	America's 250th birthday calls for a history is sprawling and contradictory as the country itself.
1:16.9	A history of the United States and 100 objects produced by BBC Studios and 99% Invisible
1:21.8	tells this story one object at a time.
1:24.3	Told over 100 episodes, join host Roman Mars as he reveals the fascinating stories
1:28.4	behind a collection of often overlooked objects, each of which sheds light on key moments in American
1:32.7	history. From a gold coin founded a shipwreck that triggered financial panic to a tiny screw that
1:37.7	kick-started an industrial empire, every week one object will open the door into an extraordinary,
1:42.8	often shocking story about who we've been,
1:45.1	what we've built, and what we've allowed ourselves to forget. New episodes of a history of the
1:49.5	United States and 100 objects are released every Tuesday. Find it in 99% invisible wherever you
1:54.8	get your podcasts. Welcome back to Pod Save the World. I'm Tommy Vitor.
2:12.1	I'm Ben Rhodes.
2:13.1	And Ben happens to be in New York when the Knicks going to the NBA finals.
2:18.1	Congratulations, buddy.
2:19.2	I got here yesterday because I did my book launch here today, and I was able to watch
2:23.6	the Knicks win in New York City.
2:26.2	The buzz was palpable.
	...

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