The Verge · AI· Opinions· Oct 30, 2026, 22:58 GMT+8

Pope Leo calls for the disarmament of AI, urging UN members to ban lethal autonomous weapons

Original title: Pope Leo calls for the disarmament of AI: ‘Machines are tools, not persons’

In a Friday Papal Address, Pope Leo XIV said AI systems should be "disarmed," adding that humans "have the responsibility to guide, change and, when necessary, reject its applications." He encouraged UN member states to "take concrete steps toward banning lethal autonomous weapons" at their Geneva meeting next month, saying "machines are tools, not persons." The address echoes ideas from his first major papal document in May on safeguarding the human person in the age of AI.

Why it matters

The Pope's call to ban lethal autonomous weapons at the UN offers a clear view of how religious institutions are staking out positions on AI militarization.

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Original article

Emma Roth

is a news writer who covers the streaming wars, consumer tech, crypto, social media, and much more. Previously, she was a writer and editor at MUO.

Pope Leo XIV says AI systems should be “disarmed,” adding that humans “have the responsibility to guide, change and, when necessary, reject its applications.” In Friday’s Papal Address, Pope Leo encourages United Nations member states to “take concrete steps toward banning lethal autonomous weapons” during their meeting in Geneva next month.

The address reflects many of the ideas Pope Leo laid out in his first major papal document in May, which highlighted “safeguarding the human person in the time of artificial intelligence.” In line with his encyclical, Pope Leo tells participants that “Machines are tools, not persons,” and warns about the dangers of granting AI systems rights or legal personhood. “Decisions affecting human life, freedom, and the use of force must always remain subject to effective, informed, and responsible human oversight,” Pope Leo says.

In 2024, Pope Francis similarly called for a ban on autonomous weapons, saying, “No machine should ever choose to take the life of a human being.” AI has become a popular topic for Pope Leo, who suggests he chose his name because he must confront advances in the technology — similar to how Pope Leo XIII presided over the church at the forefront of the Industrial Revolution.

Pope Leo closes out his address by calling for international institutions to safeguard the common good from AI-related risks, along with “shared standards, independent oversight and clear mechanisms of accountability so that decisions concerning the development and use of AI can be examined, challenged when necessary, and accompanied by appropriate remedies for any harm caused.”

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Emma Roth

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