At a UN meeting on the subject of weapons, the envoy of the Permanent Mission of the Holy See in Geneva, John Putzer, spoke out in favor of more control and reflection on the ethical implications of these weapon systems. The international community must accompany and control in this area instead of leaving its national contribution and political interests to be, the US native made clear in his speech.

Specifically, the Vatican representative referred to the development of weapons that could increasingly act autonomously – so-called “Lethal Autonomous Weapons Systems” (LAWS). Legally binding instruments and a moratorium are needed here to control the usage systems, i.e. cleaner who campaigns for such regulations.

War is failure of politics and humanity

The Vatican representative left no doubt that the Holy See is fundamentally opposed to the destructive use of technology. “Every war makes our world worse than it was before,” he quoted Pope Francis, saying that war is “a failure of politics and humanity, a shameful surrender”. In the pandemic time, it is all the more necessary to put technologies in the “service of humanity” and to “use them peacefully,” continued Putzer:

“Research into new technologies should be geared towards addressing the real challenges facing the international community. This battle will not be won by developing sophisticated autonomous weapons systems, but rather by putting technology at the service of people and aligning them with the common good. “

Use of AI for peaceful purposes and in exchange

With regard to artificial intelligence, the envoy of the Permanent Mission of the Holy See in Geneva called for “the establishment of an international organization for artificial intelligence”, “in order to facilitate the large-scale exchange of scientific and technological information for peaceful purposes and for the benefit of the entire human family and ensure the right of all states to participate “.

The Permanent Representative spoke at the “Sixth Conference on the Review of the Convention on the Prohibition or Restriction of the Use of Certain Conventional Weapons which Certain or Can Cause Disorders”, to be held in Geneva on December 13th. The UN Arms Convention is an instrument of international humanitarian law and, according to the contracting parties, is intended to refer to preventing and reducing the suffering of civilians and combatants.

(vatican news – pr)