Pope Leo XIV has called for the disarmament of artificial intelligence systems, emphasizing that humanity holds the responsibility to guide, modify, and reject its uses when needed. During a Friday Papal Address, Pope Leo urged United Nations member states to implement concrete measures to ban lethal autonomous weapons at their upcoming meeting in Geneva next month.
Human Oversight and Legal Status
This address mirrors themes Pope Leo previously presented in his inaugural major papal document in May, which focused on protecting human dignity during the rise of artificial intelligence. Reinforcing his prior encyclical, Pope Leo reminded listeners that machines function merely as tools rather than individuals, cautioning against granting artificial intelligence systems any rights or legal personhood. He asserted that choices impacting human existence, liberty, and the application of force must perpetually stay under genuine, knowledgeable, and accountable human supervision.
Historical Context and Accountability
A similar appeal was made in 2024 by Pope Francis, who advocated for prohibitions on autonomous weaponry by stating that no machine ought to decide to end a human life. Artificial intelligence has emerged as a frequent subject for Pope Leo, who indicated he selected his papal name because he must address technological advancements, much like Pope Leo XIII led the church during the dawn of the Industrial Revolution.
Pope Leo concluded his speech by urging global organizations to protect the collective welfare against hazards tied to artificial intelligence, demanding mutual standards, autonomous supervision, and transparent accountability frameworks to ensure technological choices can be reviewed, contested, and paired with proper remedies for any damage inflicted.
