Pope calls for ban on ‘lethal autonomous weapons’ at G7
Al Jazeera
Pope Francis spoke about the moral quandaries surrounding artificial intelligence in warfare, saying ‘no machine should ever choose to take the life of a human being’.
Pope Francis called for a ban on “lethal autonomous weapons” in an address to the G7 leaders’ summit in Italy on the perils of artificial intelligence (AI).
On Friday, the pontiff was the first head of the Roman Catholic Church to ever attend a Group of Seven meeting.
“In light of the tragedy that is armed conflict, it is urgent to reconsider the development and use of devices like the so-called ‘lethal autonomous weapons’ and ultimately ban their use,” the pope said.
“This starts from an effective and concrete commitment to introduce ever greater and proper human control. No machine should ever choose to take the life of a human being.”
The G7 – which brings together Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States – said on Friday that AI “can play a crucial role in promoting progress and development in our societies”.
