Pope Leo calls for the disarmament of AI: ‘Machines are tools, not persons’
Pope Leo XIV has called for artificial intelligence systems to be “disarmed” and urged people to guide or reject their uses. He wants United Nations member states to take concrete steps towards banning lethal autonomous weapons, arguing that decisions affecting human life and the use of force must remain under responsible human oversight.
In an address ahead of a meeting in Geneva next month, Leo said machines are tools, not persons, and warned against giving AI rights or legal personhood. His position echoes ideas in a papal document issued in May and a 2024 call by Pope Francis to ban autonomous weapons. Leo also called for shared international standards, independent oversight and clear accountability for harm caused by AI.
In short
- Pope Leo urges action to ban lethal autonomous weapons.
- He says consequential decisions must remain under human oversight.
- He calls for international AI standards and accountability.
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Lethal decisions should remain under accountable human control because people, unlike machines, can be held responsible for the use of force and can weigh moral and legal consequences. Supporters of a ban argue that autonomous weapons could make it easier to initiate violence, misidentify targets or cause harm without meaningful accountability; shared standards and independent oversight could reduce these risks and protect human dignity.
The case against
A critic of a ban could argue that autonomous systems may improve precision and help protect civilians and military personnel, while a blanket prohibition could prevent beneficial uses or leave states with fewer safeguards than clear rules would provide. They might favour strict human oversight, testing and accountability requirements instead, and caution that international restrictions could be difficult to define and enforce consistently.
Explained simply
Artificial intelligence refers to computer systems that can perform tasks such as analysing information or generating text. Some systems can also be linked to weapons, raising questions about whether they should be able to select and attack targets without a person making the decision.
Pope Leo XIV leads the Catholic Church and has joined earlier calls by Pope Francis for limits on autonomous weapons. Governments at the United Nations are among those discussing how such weapons and other uses of AI should be governed.
The debate concerns who is responsible when AI causes harm and how to keep decisions about human life under human control. Countries may differ over what rules are practical and how they should be enforced.