UN and Red Cross warn AI is already amplifying war's destruction

AIPope Leo XIV says AI systems should be "disarmed" and urges United Nations member states to take concrete steps toward banning lethal autonomous weapons at their meeting in Geneva next month. In his Friday address, he says "Machines are tools, not persons" and warns against granting AI systems rights or legal personhood. He calls for decisions affecting human life, freedom and the use of force to remain subject to human oversight.

AILaurent Gisel, head of the ICRC's legal warfare team, says AI is already "amplifying the destruction" and humanitarian harm in conflicts, and that the technology is developing at a concerning pace. He says multilateral processes at the UN take too long, and he warns that faster targeting leaves less human control. The ICRC recommends prohibiting autonomous weapons that target humans directly and placing limits on other autonomous systems.