Gallagher highlighted AI’s potential to advance peace, development, and human rights, while warning of significant risks if its evolution lacks ethical grounding.
Newsroom (26/09/2025, Gaudium Press ) Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, the Vatican’s Secretary for Relations with States and International Organisations, urged the United Nations Security Council to prioritize human dignity and the common good in the rapid development of artificial intelligence (AI) during a debate on AI and International Peace and Security.
Speaking on Wednesday, Gallagher highlighted AI’s potential to advance peace, development, and human rights, while warning of significant risks if its evolution lacks ethical grounding. “The digital revolution, particularly in the field of AI, is having a deep impact on areas such as education, employment, art, healthcare, governance, the military, and communication,” he said, noting that these advancements align with the aspirations that led to the UN’s founding 80 years ago.
However, he cautioned that without a foundation in respect for human dignity, AI could become a tool for division and aggression, potentially fueling conflict. “If the development and use of AI are not firmly anchored in respect for human dignity and the pursuit of the common good, they risk becoming instruments of division and aggression,” Gallagher stated.
Moratorium on Lethal Autonomous Weapons
A key concern raised was the use of lethal autonomous weapon systems (LAWS), which Gallagher described as posing “grave legal, security, humanitarian, and ethical concerns” due to their lack of human moral judgment. He called for an immediate moratorium on the development and use of LAWS, advocating for a legally binding framework to ensure human control over life-and-death decisions.
Risks of an AI-Driven Arms Race
Gallagher expressed alarm over an emerging AI-driven arms race, particularly the integration of AI into military systems, including space assets and missile defense. He warned that such developments could alter the nature of warfare, introducing “unprecedented levels of uncertainty” due to potential miscalculations. The incorporation of AI into nuclear command and control systems was singled out as particularly dangerous, amplifying risks beyond the already fraught logic of nuclear deterrence.
A Human-Centered Approach
The Vatican representative urged the Security Council to closely monitor technological progress, ensuring that debates on peace and security consider both AI’s opportunities and dangers. “The Holy See calls for a human-centred approach to the development and use of emerging technologies,” Gallagher said, emphasizing that technologies replacing human judgment in matters of life and death cross “inviolable boundaries.”
Global Cooperation Essential
In closing, Gallagher stressed the need for international cooperation to prevent AI from driving division or destruction. He called for AI to be oriented toward serving humanity, peace, and justice, urging global leaders to work together to ensure its responsible development.
- Raju Hasmukh with files from Vatican News
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