Pope Leo Warns Technology Must Not Replace Human Responsibility in War

Pope Leo has warned that advances in military technology must not be allowed to displace human moral responsibility, in a message released ahead of the Church's World Day of Peace.

Writing under the theme of a "magnifica humanitas" — a greater humanity — the Pope argued that the decision to take a human life cannot be delegated to an autonomous system, and called on states to agree binding limits on weapons that select and engage targets without meaningful human control.

The message also linked disarmament to development, arguing that resources committed to weapons programmes are withheld from health, education and climate adaptation in the world's poorest countries.

Source: Vatican News; Holy See Press Office World Day of Peace message.