ROME — Pope Leo XIV warned that the rapid expansion of artificial intelligence and advanced military technology is pushing the world toward a “spiral of annihilation,” as he urged global leaders to prioritize peace, education, and human dignity amid ongoing conflicts in Ukraine, Gaza, Lebanon, and Iran.
Speaking Thursday at Rome’s La Sapienza University, Europe’s largest public university, the pontiff criticized rising global defense spending and what he described as a growing imbalance between military investment and funding for education and healthcare.
He said the surge in military expenditures this year, particularly in Europe, was diverting resources away from social needs while benefiting elites disconnected from the public interest.
“Enriching elites who care nothing for the common good,” he said, referring to what he called misplaced global priorities.
Leo also raised concerns about the accelerating role of artificial intelligence in warfare and civilian life, calling for stronger oversight to ensure human accountability is not diminished by automation.
He warned that without proper safeguards, AI systems used in military contexts could deepen global instability and remove moral responsibility from human decision-making.
“What is happening in Ukraine, in Gaza and the Palestinian territories, in Lebanon, and in Iran illustrates the inhuman evolution of the relationship between war and new technologies in a spiral of annihilation,” he said.
The pope emphasized that education and scientific research should instead advance values that protect life and promote peace, particularly for populations affected by conflict.
His address marked a symbolic moment for the Vatican, as it was the first papal visit to La Sapienza since Pope Benedict XVI withdrew from a planned appearance in 2008 following opposition from faculty and students.
The visit also carried humanitarian undertones. Leo was welcomed by students from Gaza who recently arrived in Italy through a humanitarian corridor program coordinated by the Italian government and Catholic organizations. Since the start of the war in Gaza in 2023, Italy has brought hundreds of Palestinians into the country for study opportunities and medical care.
The pope met several of the students during a brief interaction at the university chapel and again after his address in the main lecture hall.
Among them was 19-year-old Nada Rahim Jouda, who arrived in Italy only days earlier and is now studying business science in Rome.
She described her new environment as a stark contrast to life in Gaza.
“Everything here is green and it’s not gray and troubles everywhere and miserable people in the streets,” she said.
Despite her relief at reaching Italy, Jouda said she remains deeply worried about her family, including her mother who is recovering from leukemia and two younger sisters still in Gaza. She said repeated displacement during the war has left her mother without consistent medical care.
“They all rely on me. I’m the only hope that they have,” she said.
Si Venus L Peñaflor ay naging editor-in-chief ng Newsworld, isang lokal na pahayagan ng Laguna. Publisher din siya ng Daystar Gazette at Tutubi News Magazine. Siya ay isa ring pintor at doll face designer ng Ninay Dolls, ang unang Manikang Pilipino. Kasali siya sa DesignCrowd sa rank na #305 sa 640,000 graphic designers sa buong daigdig. Kasama din siya sa unang Local TV Broadcast sa Laguna na Beyond Manila. Aktibong kasapi siya ng San Pablo Jaycees Senate bilang isang JCI Senator.
- Venus L Peñaflor
- Venus L Peñaflor
- Venus L Peñaflor
- Venus L Peñaflor
