Pope Leo XIV Warn Use Of AI In Warfare

Agboola Victor December 18, 2025 1 minute read

Pope Leo XIV has warned that the growing use of artificial intelligence in warfare risks undermining the moral foundations of civilisation.

In his first message for World Peace Day, published on Thursday, he said delegating life-and-death decisions to machines was a “destructive betrayal” of human values.

He said advances in military technology, including AI-powered weapons and surveillance systems, had worsened the impact of armed conflict. The Pope cautioned political and military leaders against shifting responsibility to machines.

Pope, elected in May, has repeatedly urged that AI be developed and used in an ethical and responsible way.

He also criticised the use of religion to justify violence or nationalism. He said faith was increasingly being drawn into political conflicts to defend war and questioned the logic of military power, including nuclear deterrence, saying it was based on fear rather than law, justice and trust between nations.