Pope Leo XIV states that artificial intelligence systems must be “disarmed.” In an address, he asserts that humans have “the responsibility to guide, modify, and, if necessary, reject its applications,” and he calls on United Nations member states to act against lethal autonomous weapons.
- Pope Leo XIV urges UN member states to ban lethal autonomous weapons.
- He insists that machines are tools, not people, and that humans must keep oversight.
- He warns against granting rights or legal personality to AI systems.
- He calls on international institutions to set shared standards and clear accountability.
The pontiff encourages these states to “take concrete steps towards banning lethal autonomous weapons” during their meeting in Geneva. These weapon systems can strike without direct human intervention. The speech, delivered as part of the Papal Address, echoes many ideas developed by Leo XIV in his first major papal document, published in May, which focused on “safeguarding the human person in the age of artificial intelligence.”
A reaffirmed human responsibility
Continuing from this encyclical, the pope declares: “Machines are tools, not people.” He warns of the dangers of granting rights or legal personality to AI systems. For him, decisions concerning human life, freedom, and the use of force “must always remain subject to effective, informed, and responsible human oversight.”
His predecessor Francis had already advocated for a ban on such weapons in 2024. He stated at the time: “No machine should ever choose to take a human life.” Artificial intelligence has become a recurring theme for Leo XIV. According to elements reported by the source, he is said to have chosen his name because he must face the advances of this technology, akin to Leo XIII, who led the Church during the industrial revolution.
A call to international institutions
The pope concludes his address by calling on international institutions to protect the common good from AI-related risks. To this end, he demands “shared standards, independent oversight, and clear accountability mechanisms, so that decisions concerning the development and use of AI can be reviewed, challenged if necessary, and accompanied by appropriate redress for any harm caused.”
