Pope decries rise of AI-directed warfare, saying it leads to a spiral of annihilation
Pope decries rise of AI-directed warfare, saying it leads to a spiral of annihilation
Publish Date: 2026-05-15 10:14:00
Source Domain: www.opb.org
- Pope Leo XIV visited the Città Universitaria at Sapienza University of Rome, one of the world’s oldest and largest universities, on Thursday, May 14, 2026.
- During his visit, he denounced the escalating military spending, particularly in relation to artificial intelligence and high-tech weaponry, emphasizing these investments contribute to a “spiral of annihilation.”
- Leo called for peace in the Middle East and Ukraine, highlighting the need to address the conflicts in these regions and the inhuman evolution driven by war and new technologies.
- This visit marked the first time a pope has officially set foot on the campus since Pope Benedict XVI’s canceled 2008 speech due to protests.
- Pope Leo XIV met with recent arrivals, including young Palestinians who came to Italy to continue their studies via a humanitarian corridor from Gaza. The Italian government has facilitated the movement of hundreds of Palestinians since the 2023 Israeli war against Hamas.
- He stressed the importance of redirecting funds towards education and healthcare, rather than enriching elites, and called for better monitoring of AI to prevent it from alleviating human responsibility in conflict situations.
- The pope’s visit also included a meeting with Nada Rahim Jouda, a 19-year-old Gazan student who arrived in Italy just two days prior to study business science.
- Leo emphasized the necessity of education and research fostering values of life, peace, and justice instead of contributing to military conflicts.
