Vatican City: More than 200 global leaders, Nobel Prize winners, artificial intelligence experts, researchers and peace advocates have gathered at the Vatican this week for a major international meeting focused on the future of artificial intelligence, nuclear weapons and global peace.
The three day Global Nobel Laureates Assembly on Artificial Intelligence and Nuclear War is being held from July 14 to 16 at Borgo Laudato si' in the Pontifical Gardens of Castel Gandolfo. The event will bring together some of the world's most respected voices in science, technology, diplomacy and humanitarian work to discuss how emerging technologies can be guided by ethics and used to build a safer and more peaceful world.
The assembly has been inspired by Pope Leo XIV's recent encyclical Magnifica humanitas, which calls for protecting human dignity in an age of rapidly advancing artificial intelligence. The gathering reflects the Pope's vision of creating what he has described as a "disarmed and disarming peace," where technological progress is guided by moral responsibility and international cooperation rather than conflict.
Around 30 Nobel laureates are taking part in the discussions, along with representatives from 30 countries, former heads of state and government, and 20 of the world's leading artificial intelligence experts. Representatives from major AI organisations, including OpenAI, Google DeepMind, AARU and Anthropic, are participating alongside academics from some of the world's leading universities and research institutions.
Participants will spend three days in intensive discussions using a format described as similar to a conclave, encouraging open dialogue and careful reflection on some of the greatest challenges facing humanity. The talks will focus on issues such as international security, the governance of artificial intelligence, nuclear disarmament, autonomous weapons and the development of economic systems that promote peace instead of conflict.
A key theme throughout the meeting is the search for a new global framework that balances technological innovation with ethics, responsibility and respect for human dignity. Organisers believe that while artificial intelligence offers enormous opportunities for improving lives, it also presents serious risks if left without effective international oversight.
The assembly comes at a time when geopolitical tensions remain high in several parts of the world and concerns continue to grow about the spread of nuclear weapons and the rapid development of autonomous military technologies. Participants hope the discussions will help shape international thinking on how governments, technology companies and research institutions can work together to reduce these risks.
The event has attracted representatives from many of the world's leading universities and research centres. These include Harvard University, Stanford University, Columbia University, Princeton University, the University of California Berkeley, the University of Oxford, the University of Manchester, Tsinghua University, Queen's University, the Australian National University, the University of Antwerp, St Patrick's Pontifical University, the University of Rome Tor Vergata, the Balseiro Institute, the University of Southern California and Università Telematica Internazionale UniNettuno, among others.
The assembly has been organised by a broad international coalition that includes the Nobel Laureates Assembly for the Prevention of Nuclear War, the Nobel Women's Initiative, the International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War, the Pugwash Conferences on Science and World Affairs, the Yunus Centre, the Catholic University of America, the University of Chicago Existential Risk Laboratory, Harvard Medical School, Brigham and Women's Hospital, the University of Notre Dame, the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists and Soka Gakkai International. The Domus Communis Foundation is serving as the General Secretariat for the event.
The discussions will conclude on July 16 with a formal session at Rome's City Hall on the Capitoline Hill. During the closing ceremony, participants are expected to present the Rome Declaration for a Disarmed and Disarming Peace in the Age of Artificial Intelligence, Nuclear and Autonomous Weapons, New Digital Protocols, and Emerging Models of Digital Development.
The declaration is expected to outline principles and practical guidelines for the responsible governance of artificial intelligence. It aims to encourage international cooperation while promoting human dignity, sustainable development and lasting peace. Organisers hope the document will serve as a roadmap for governments, technology companies and international organisations as they work to ensure that advances in artificial intelligence contribute to the wellbeing of humanity rather than increasing the risks of conflict.