At the UN General Assembly, the senior diplomat of the Vatican, Archbishop Liam Gallagher, called world leaders to temporarily suspend the development and use of deadly autonomous weapons (also known as the “killer robots”) until the world community agrees on the adjustments and rules of their use.
Gallagher emphasized the need for human involvement in monitoring weapons to ensure ethical responsibility. He stated, “It is necessary to ensure the obligatory, meaningful, and continuous participation of a person in monitoring weapons. After all, only a person is able to realize the ethical consequences of his actions and bear responsibility for them.”
The Vatican is supportive of the creation of an international organization dedicated to studying artificial intelligence. This organization would focus on investigating risks and development paths while promoting the peaceful use of technology for the greater good.
The establishment of a UN unit with similar objectives is expected to commence this fall.
Gallagher also expressed concerns about the potential discrimination arising from evolving neural networks. Quoting Pope Francis, he said, “It is unacceptable for anyone to determine the algorithm.”
Although the Vatican is not a member of the UN and lacks voting rights, it holds the status of a permanent observer.
The UN Secretary General, Antoniu Gutherresh, has previously called for a ban on the use of autonomous weapons that contradicts international humanitarian law.
Pope Francis, the spiritual leader of the Catholic Church, has frequently addressed the topic of modern technologies. Despite his admission of not knowing how to use a computer, he acknowledged the impressive progress in the field of artificial intelligence. However, he also cautioned that such technology could potentially lead to large-scale conflicts, emphasizing the importance of its control.