Experts Urge Global Safeguards for Artificial Intelligence

Global Nobel Laureates at the Assembly on Artificial Intelligence and Nuclear War held last week in Rome

Artificial intelligence (AI) must be governed by strong global safeguards to ensure it serves humanity rather than threatens it, leading Nobel laureates, scientists and policymakers said during an international conference in Italy.

The three-day Global Nobel Laureates Assembly on Artificial Intelligence and Nuclear War brought together more than 200 participants at Borgo Laudato Si', within the papal summer residence at Castel Gandolfo, where Pope Leo XIV is currently staying.

The conference focused on the future of international security, the governance of emerging technologies, nuclear disarmament and building an economy centred on peace.

Participants included former Italian Prime Minister and former European Commission President Romano Prodi, Bangladesh Chief Adviser and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Professor Muhammad Yunus, Nobel Peace Prize laureate Maria Ressa, Amnesty International Secretary General Agnès Callamard, Yoshiyuki Nagaoka of Soka Gakkai and the Ikeda Center for Peace, Learning, and Dialogue, along with scientists and nuclear experts.

Opening the conference, Monsignor Fabio Baggio, Under-Secretary of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, said peace is founded on justice, mutual trust, respect for the rule of law and the dignity of every human being.

Throughout the discussions, participants stressed that regulating AI has become increasingly urgent as the technology is rapidly being integrated into military systems, raising concerns over cyber warfare, nuclear security and global stability.

Although speakers offered different perspectives, they agreed that AI should be developed responsibly rather than left without effective oversight.

AI and Nuclear Risks

Karen Hallberg, president of the Pugwash Conferences on Science and World Affairs, described AI as a "dual-use" technology capable of delivering enormous benefits while also creating serious security risks.

She said AI has enormous potential to advance scientific research, medicine and international monitoring, but warned that its integration into nuclear weapons systems could create dangerous uncertainty.

Hallberg cautioned against allowing AI algorithms to play a role in nuclear command-and-control systems, including analysing satellite imagery, interpreting military situations or influencing decisions that could have irreversible consequences.

"I am not afraid; I am concerned," she said. "That concern should give us the determination to act before it is too late."

She urged governments to apply the precautionary principle before technological advances outpace political regulation.

Human Responsibility

Yoshiyuki Nagaoka said AI itself is not inherently dangerous and that its impact ultimately depends on how people choose to use it.

"The question ultimately comes back to humanity itself, which has the choice of becoming either more selfish or more compassionate," he said.

He stressed the importance of education, critical thinking and preserving human judgement as AI becomes increasingly embedded in everyday life.

Nagaoka also reflected on changing human behaviour, recalling the story of an elderly Japanese woman who reportedly sought advice from ChatGPT instead of her family when deciding whether to withdraw life support from her seriously ill husband.

Rather than criticising such decisions, he said society should carefully consider the growing role AI may play in deeply personal moments of human life.

Democracy and Economic Inequality

Nobel Peace Prize laureate Maria Ressa warned that AI also poses significant risks to democracy through the rapid spread of disinformation, manipulation of public opinion and the growing concentration of power among a small number of technology companies.

"AI is not simply an issue of innovation. It concerns the very functioning of democratic societies," she said.

Professor Muhammad Yunus shifted the discussion towards the economic consequences of AI, warning that the greatest danger lies not only in job losses but also in the concentration of wealth and economic power.

He said AI could deepen inequality by allowing a handful of companies to control technologies, data and financial resources while excluding larger sections of society from economic participation.

"It could deprive people of their livelihoods, their dignity and their ability to remain independent," Yunus said.

He argued that AI should support participation, entrepreneurship and shared opportunities rather than replace people or concentrate power.

Call for Global Governance

Participants agreed that AI has become an integral part of modern society and that its benefits should be harnessed responsibly through international cooperation and effective regulation.

They stressed that the central challenge is no longer whether AI should exist, but who will govern it, under what rules and in whose interests.

The conference concluded with a shared call for stronger global governance to ensure artificial intelligence remains a tool that advances peace, protects democracy and serves humanity rather than undermining it.