Pope Leo XIV Denounces AI Warfare and Rising Military Spending at La Sapienza University

Pope Leo XIV delivered a significant address at Rome’s La Sapienza University, strongly condemning the global surge in investments in artificial intelligence and high-tech weaponry. He warned that these developments are driving humanity into a dangerous "spiral of annihilation," particularly citing ongoing conflicts in Ukraine, Gaza, Lebanon, and Iran as examples of the inhuman evolution of war. The Pope criticized the dramatic increase in military spending, especially in Europe, arguing that it betrays diplomacy and diverts essential resources from education and healthcare to enrich elites. During his visit, which marked the first by a pontiff to the campus since 2008, Leo met with young Palestinian students who recently arrived in Italy via humanitarian corridors from Gaza. He called for stricter monitoring of AI development in both military and civilian sectors to ensure human responsibility is not absolved. The speech highlighted the contrast between technological advancement in warfare and the urgent need for peace, justice, and life-affirming research. This event underscores the Vatican's growing concern over the ethical implications of autonomous weapons systems and their impact on global stability and human welfare.