Pope Leo urges UN to ban lethal autonomous weapons

One specific weapon type has become the focal point of a new call for global regulation. Pope Leo XIV asked United Nations member states to take concrete steps toward banning lethal autonomous weapons during their upcoming meeting in Geneva next month. The directive was delivered in a Papal Address on Friday.

The pontiff argued that AI systems should be disarmed of certain authorities. He stated that humans have the responsibility to guide, change, and, when necessary, reject the applications of these systems. The address emphasized that decisions affecting human life, freedom, and the use of force must remain subject to effective, informed, and responsible human oversight.

This stance mirrors the themes of the Pope’s first major papal document, released in May, which focused on safeguarding the human person in the time of artificial intelligence. In the current address, he warned against the dangers of granting AI systems rights or legal personhood. He explicitly told participants that machines are tools, not persons.

The position aligns with the views of his predecessor. In 2024, Pope Francis called for a ban on autonomous weapons, saying that no machine should ever choose to take the life of a human being. Pope Leo has made AI a central topic of his pontificate, suggesting he chose his name to confront these technological advances, similar to how Pope Leo XIII presided over the church during the Industrial Revolution.

The address concluded with a request for international institutions to safeguard the common good from AI-related risks. The Pope called for shared standards, independent oversight, and clear mechanisms of accountability. He added that decisions concerning the development and use of AI must be examinable and challengeable, with appropriate remedies available for any harm caused.