Pope Leo XIV is calling the world to confront the moral dangers posed by artificial intelligence and modern warfare as the Church prepares to mark the 60th World Day of Peace on January 1, 2027.
The theme chosen for the observance is “Disarming Technology, Serving Peace: Politics as Preventive Responsibility,” according to Vatican News, citing an announcement from the Dicastery for the Service of Integral Human Development.
At the heart of the theme is a challenge to political leaders and others entrusted with decisions that can affect human life. According to Vatican News, the Dicastery said Pope Leo seeks to emphasize the “moral responsibility of those called to act in the political sphere” while encouraging efforts to defend human dignity and foster peace.
A particular concern is the growing role of artificial intelligence in military decisions.
Drawing upon his encyclical Magnifica humanitas, Pope Leo has warned that “there is no algorithm capable of making war morally acceptable.”
The Pope is calling on the international community to establish “shared agreements capable of safeguarding human responsibility and humanitarian principles in contexts where human lives and peaceful coexistence among peoples are at stake,” according to Vatican News.
His message reflects a broader concern about allowing technological systems to assume roles that properly belong to human beings guided by conscience and moral responsibility.
When presenting Magnifica humanitas in May, Pope Leo addressed the rapidly expanding influence of artificial intelligence and new technologies. According to Vatican News, he noted that AI now touches “many areas of our lives” and is “radically changing the way in which war is waged.”
The Pope expressed his concern in particularly striking language: “Artificial Intelligence must be disarmed.”
“I know the word is strong,” Pope Leo said, according to Vatican News, “but it was deliberately chosen because this moment needs words capable of attracting attention, awakening consciences, and pointing humanity towards paths to follow.”
The call to “disarm” artificial intelligence does not mean abandoning technology. Rather, Pope Leo connected the challenge to the Church’s longstanding commitment to nuclear disarmament and to ensuring that powerful technologies remain at the service of humanity.
“Like nuclear energy, it must serve everyone and the common good,” the Pope said, adding that “decisions about technology must never be separated from conscience and responsibility.”
The message carries particular significance as artificial intelligence becomes increasingly capable of influencing decisions with profound consequences for individuals, nations and armed conflict.
For Pope Leo, however, the Christian pursuit of peace cannot end simply with preventing destructive uses of technology. Genuine peace also requires rebuilding relationships, restoring trust and working together for the common good.
Reflecting on his missionary experience in Peru following floods, the Pope recalled a lesson about what true rebuilding requires.
“I learned that rebuilding does not simply mean replacing what has been destroyed. It means repairing bonds, restoring trust, and rekindling hope for the future. Moreover, no one rebuilds alone,” he said, according to Vatican News.
That principle also shapes the Pope’s vision for artificial intelligence. The future of technology, he argues, cannot be determined only by those with the greatest wealth, technical expertise or political influence.
Instead, those who develop technological systems and those who experience their consequences must participate in building a future oriented toward the common good.
As Catholics prepare for the 60th World Day of Peace, Pope Leo’s message places a fundamental moral question before an increasingly technological world: whether humanity will remain responsible for the tools it creates, or surrender decisions involving human dignity, war and peace to machines.
The Church’s answer is clear. Technology must remain at the service of the human person, conscience must never be removed from decisions involving human life, and progress must ultimately serve the peace and good of the entire human family.
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