United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has called for lethal autonomous weapons to be outlawed under international law, describing them as "morally repugnant" in a speech on artificial intelligence governance. Warning that killer robots have become a common reality on battlefields, Guterres urged the creation of an international political framework to regulate AI use.
The remarks came at the 'AI Dialogue' conference in Geneva on July 9, 2026. Parallel UN discussions on military AI applications began on June 15 and run through June 17, coinciding with the G7 summit in Évian-les-Bains. The International Committee of the Red Cross has demanded binding rules ensuring humans retain control over weapon deployments, while Switzerland backs international regulations for autonomous arms.
The push for restrictions extends beyond the UN. Pope Leo XIV endorsed banning AI-controlled weapons in an encyclical published in spring 2026. Guterres also proposed that AI developers voluntarily commit to providing safe models for minors.