Pope Leo calls for AI 'disarmament,' cites Gandalf

Pope Leo called for the 'disarmament' of artificial intelligence in a May 25, 2026 address, invoking Gandalf’s warning from The Lord of the Rings: 'Do not meddle in the affairs of dragons, for you are crunchy and good with ketchup' [ars-technica]. The remark, delivered during a Vatican press briefing, framed AI as a powerful force requiring moral restraint and global oversight.

The Pope urged nations to adopt binding agreements limiting autonomous weapons, predictive policing, and AI-driven surveillance systems. He pointed to ongoing UN talks on AI ethics as a potential framework but criticized their lack of enforcement mechanisms [ars-technica]. His comments align with the Catholic Church’s broader stance on technology, which stresses human dignity over efficiency or innovation.

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The Vatican’s intervention adds religious and ethical weight to calls for AI limits, particularly in majority-Catholic countries like Brazil, Poland, and the Philippines. Unlike corporate or governmental voices, the Pope’s position is not shaped by economic or strategic interests, giving it outsized symbolic influence. The Gandalf quote, while delivered with levity, underscores a serious argument: that some technologies, once unleashed, cannot be controlled.

Pope Leo stopped short of endorsing specific policies, such as an AI moratorium or licensing regimes. But his framing of AI as a moral hazard—not just a technical or economic one—shifts the debate beyond risk management into the realm of intention and responsibility.