Pope Leo XIV condemns AI warfare and the rearmament in Europe during his first papal visit to La Sapienza since 2008.

      TL;DR: During a significant visit to La Sapienza University in Rome on May 14, 2026, Pope Leo XIV condemned AI-driven warfare as a “spiral of annihilation.” He criticized the rise in European defense spending, which he claimed sacrifices education and healthcare, and advocated for tighter oversight of AI in both military and civilian applications.

      Pope Leo XIV utilized his historic visit to Europe’s largest university to denounce the increasing presence of artificial intelligence in warfare, cautioning that investments in AI weapons are propelling humanity towards a “spiral of annihilation.” Addressing the audience at Rome’s La Sapienza University on Wednesday, the pope urged stricter oversight of AI development and deployment in military and civilian sectors, while criticizing European governments for boosting defense budgets at the cost of education and healthcare.

      This visit marked the first papal appearance at La Sapienza since Pope Benedict XVI canceled a scheduled speech there in 2008 due to protests from students and faculty. Leo was warmly welcomed, including by 72 young Palestinians who traveled from Gaza to Italy through a humanitarian corridor established by the Diocese of Rome, the Sant’Egidio Community, and the university. They will be continuing their studies at Sapienza on full scholarships, with accommodations, academic mentoring, and psychological support provided until 2029.

      In his speech, Leo emphasized the connection between technology, conflict, and human accountability. He pinpointed AI as a pivotal issue for humanity, especially concerning its use in warfare, arguing that the current trend of military investment clashes with the need to safeguard human life. He stated, “What is happening in Ukraine, Gaza, the Palestinian territories, Lebanon, and Iran illustrates the inhumane evolution of the relationship between war and new technologies in a spiral of annihilation.” The conflicts he referenced encompass various situations where AI-enabled systems have been implemented or suggested, ranging from autonomous drones to surveillance and targeting infrastructure. The pope portrayed the transformation of warfare through AI weapons not as a distant threat but as a present concern.

      He called for improved oversight of AI advancements to ensure it “does not absolve humans of responsibility for their choices and does not exacerbate the tragedy of conflicts.” This notion reflects the Vatican’s consistent stance, established in the 2020 Rome Call for AI Ethics, that technology must uphold human dignity and never replace human judgment in life-and-death decisions. Leo highlighted the challenge that AI has already been weaponized in ways that surpass current governance measures intended to limit it.

      The pope particularly criticized the rise in European defense spending in 2025 and 2026 amidst the ongoing war in Ukraine and growing geopolitical tensions. European NATO members increased military budgets by 14 percent in 2025, reaching $864 billion, the fastest growth rate since 1953 according to SIPRI. NATO allies set a new defense spending benchmark at 3.5 percent of GDP, up from the previous 2 percent target.

      Leo argued that this military buildup directly damages public services. He condemned military funding that benefits “elites who care nothing for the common good” while education and healthcare suffer. He encouraged the university’s students and faculty to advance research and education that prioritize life and “the lives of peoples who cry out for peace and justice.”

      This message was poignant given the location. La Sapienza, established by Pope Boniface VIII in 1303, is presently a secular institution with over 100,000 students. The warm welcome Leo received, 18 years after his predecessor was effectively disinvited, indicates that his readiness to tackle political and technological issues on secular terms has expanded the Vatican’s audience.

      The La Sapienza speech is part of a wider initiative by Leo to position the Vatican as a meaningful participant in AI governance. Two days following his address, the Vatican announced the formation of an Interdicasterial Commission on Artificial Intelligence, comprising representatives from seven Vatican departments, including the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith and the Pontifical Academy of Sciences. The commission will explore AI’s implications for humanity and is overseen by the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development.

      Leo’s forthcoming first encyclical, provisionally titled Magnifica Humanitas, is anticipated in the coming weeks and is expected to place AI at the core of Catholic social teaching alongside labor, human dignity, and peace. This encyclical is believed to draw a parallel between the current AI revolution and the industrial upheaval that prompted Leo XIII’s significant 1891 encyclical Rerum Novarum, which discussed workers’ rights. By adopting the name Leo, the American-born pope, originally Robert Francis Prevost from Chicago in 1955, indicated his intention to engage with the economic and technological disruptions of his time. The issues of AI governance, who it serves, and whether regulatory frameworks can keep pace with the technology are now formally part of the papacy’s agenda.

      The significance of this extends beyond the Vatican. While papal statements on technology do not have legislative power, the