Pope Leo XIV Urges UN to Ban Lethal Autonomous Weapons

Call for Disarmament

Pope Leo XIV has formally requested that United Nations member states implement a ban on lethal autonomous weapons. In a recent address, the Pope emphasized that artificial intelligence systems must be "disarmed" and that humanity maintains the fundamental responsibility to govern, alter, or reject the applications of such technology.

Ethical Foundations

The Pope’s stance centers on the principle that "machines are tools, not persons." He warns against the risks of assigning legal status or rights to AI, asserting that any decision involving the use of force, human freedom, or life must remain under consistent and informed human supervision. Key priorities outlined in his address include:

• Establishing international shared standards for AI development.
• Implementing independent oversight mechanisms.
• Creating clear accountability frameworks to address and remedy potential harm.

Historical Context

This appeal follows the Pope’s broader reflections on safeguarding human dignity in the age of AI. He has noted that his namesake, Pope Leo XIII, led the church during the Industrial Revolution, and he views his current focus as a necessary response to the rapid advancement of modern digital technology. This perspective aligns with previous calls from the Vatican, including Pope Francis’s 2024 warning that no machine should be empowered to make decisions regarding the termination of human life.

Verification

Interested parties can review the official Papal Address records and the upcoming UN session agendas in Geneva to monitor the progress of these discussions. These documents are generally accessible through the official Vatican news portal and UN parliamentary archives.