Pope Leo XIV is urging governments to move toward a ban on lethal autonomous weapons, warning that decisions involving human life and the use of force must remain under meaningful human control. In an address delivered Friday, he asked United Nations member states to take concrete action when they meet in Geneva next month.
“Machines are tools, not persons,” Leo said, arguing that people must be able to direct, alter or reject how artificial intelligence is used. His address also cautioned against assigning AI systems rights or legal personhood.
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The remarks build on themes from the pope’s first major papal document, released in May, which focused on protecting human dignity in the age of artificial intelligence. Leo’s call echoes Pope Francis, who in 2024 argued that no machine should be allowed to decide whether a person lives or dies.
Leo concluded by calling for international safeguards against AI-related harms, including common standards, independent oversight and clear accountability. He said decisions about developing and deploying AI should be open to scrutiny and challenge, with remedies available when the technology causes harm.
