Tech & Science
Friedrich Merz picks a papal encyclical on AI for his holiday reading
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has chosen an encyclical by Pope Leo about artificial intelligence for his holiday reading this summer, according to The Guardian. The choice comes as Merz’s popularity stands at a historic low. He took office as German chancellor 14 months before The Guardian reported the story on July 30, 2026. The available information does not give the encyclical’s title, describe its arguments about AI or explain why Merz selected it. It also provides no polling figure or comparison period for his low popularity.