Pope Leo XIV Denounces AI Warfare and European Rearmament in Historic La Sapienza Visit
May 18, 2026 – 11:38 am
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Summary
Pope Leo XIV condemned AI-directed warfare as a "spiral of annihilation" during a landmark address at Rome’s La Sapienza University on May 14, 2026. He criticized European defense spending increases at the expense of education and healthcare and called for tighter regulation of AI in both military and civilian applications.
Addressing AI in Warfare
Pope Leo XIV used his historic visit to Europe’s largest university to deliver a powerful message about artificial intelligence in warfare:
"What is happening in Ukraine, in Gaza and the Palestinian territories, in Lebanon, and in Iran illustrates the inhuman evolution of the relationship between war and new technologies in a spiral of annihilation."
He highlighted that AI weapons are already transforming warfare, not as a future concern but as a present reality.
Calls for Responsible AI Development
The Pope urged for better monitoring of AI development to ensure:
- Human Responsibility: That AI does "not absolve humans of responsibility for their choices."
- Conflict Mitigation: That it "does not exacerbate the tragedy of conflicts."
This aligns with the Vatican’s previous stance, articulated in the Rome Call for AI Ethics (2020), that technology must serve human dignity and never replace human judgment in life-and-death decisions.
Historical Visit
The address marked the first papal visit to La Sapienza since Pope Benedict XVI cancelled a planned speech in 2008 due to protests from faculty and students. Leo XIV received a warm reception, greeting 72 young Palestinians who had arrived in Italy through a humanitarian corridor organized by various groups. They will study at La Sapienza on full scholarships with comprehensive support through 2029.