By Enyichukwu Enemanna
Pope Leo XIV has denounced the application of artificial intelligence (AI) in the military and security sector, saying delegating such decisions to machines undermines humanism principles and was a “destructive betrayal” of the ethics that uphold civilisation.
“Further technological advances and the military implementation of artificial intelligence have worsened the tragedy of armed conflict,” he said in his first message to mark World Peace Day, published Thursday.
“There is even a growing tendency among political and military leaders to shirk responsibility, as decisions about life and death are increasingly ‘delegated’ to machines.
“This marks an unprecedented and destructive betrayal of the legal and philosophical principles of humanism that underlie and safeguard every civilisation,” he said.
Since his election in May, the US first Catholic Church Pope has repeatedly called for the ethical use of the artificial intelligence.
Several countries of the world have begun to use AI to automate surveillance, cyber defence and weapons systems.
Some of such surveillance tools include autonomous drones or anti-missile systems equipped with predictive algorithms, raising serious ethical dilemmas.
In the message, published ahead of World Peace Day, which is celebrated by the Church on January 1, Leo also condemned the use of religion for political intents.
“Unfortunately, it has become increasingly common to drag the language of faith into political battles, to bless nationalism, and to justify violence and armed struggle in the name of religion,” he said.
Pope Leo XIV, 70 also said the idea of military might and nuclear deterrence in particular “is based on the irrationality of relations between nations”, built “not on law, justice and trust but on fear and domination by force”.
