Overview
- The Vatican published the message on December 18 ahead of the January 1 World Day of Peace observance.
- He cites autonomous drones and predictive anti‑missile systems and notes growing automation of surveillance, cyberdefense and weapons.
- He calls for a coordinated, society‑wide effort to regulate artificial intelligence and set ethical limits on its deployment.
- He criticizes nuclear deterrence and rising military spending, describing preventive arms racing as destabilizing, with one report noting a 9.4% annual increase in 2024 outlays.
- He rejects the instrumentalization of faith to bless nationalism or justify violence and urges a renewed commitment to dialogue and peace.