Pope Leo XIV Calls for Global Rules and Ban on Autonomous Weapons

Pope Leo XIV has called for ethical principles on artificial intelligence to be turned into concrete safeguards, urging international regulation and the rejection of autonomous weapons. He spoke on October 30, 2026, to experts gathered at the Vatican at the initiative of the Pontifical Academy for Life, and he said that expressing a certain “feeling of concern” about the AI revolution is legitimate.

Speaking in English, the pope said that participants already know the direction to take, but “we are not yet doing enough to move forward.” Those attending came from many countries, including several American universities such as Berkeley and MIT. Leo XIV, the author of the encyclical *Magnifica humanitas*, began by paying tribute to his predecessor, recalling that he had invested himself greatly in the subject.

The pope offered five “considerations” to deepen the discussion. He said that “the future of artificial intelligence is not predetermined,” and warned against those who view AI “simply as a race to win by focusing only on the finish line, forgetting those who have been left behind.” Leaving no one behind is a concern for protecting the vulnerable (Proverbs 31:8-9).

He also recalled that “machines are tools, not persons,” and criticized those who propose giving these systems rights, including legal personality, at the risk of “obscuring human responsibility.” Third, he affirmed that “certain decisions must never be delegated,” citing cases in which a person’s name is entered into a “target list” or a “border control database.” He invited countries taking part in the meeting of the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons (CCW) in Geneva, scheduled for November 16 to 20, to act so that lethal autonomous weapons are banned.

Fourth, the pope said AI must be oriented toward the common good. It should be neither “an end in itself” nor serve “the interests of a few privileged individuals.”

Finally, Leo XIV identified what he called perhaps the most urgent challenge. “We already know many ethical principles that should guide the development of artificial intelligence,” he said. “What we need at this moment are institutions capable of protecting.” He stressed the importance of developing “shared standards,” “independent oversight,” and “clear mechanisms on responsibility.”

Source: Read the original report (translated from French)