The opinion article by Tony Neves, written from Rome, addresses the role of Artificial Intelligence in war, warning that it makes the decision about life and death faster and more impersonal, presenting the use of force as an immediate option. The author cites papal documents to emphasize that the digital revolution is modifying the grammar of conflicts and that the boundary between protection and aggression is blurring.
Paul VI introduced the expression "civilization of love" during the Cold War, in a context of arms race and economic imbalances. Pope Francis deepened this concept in the encyclical Fratelli Tutti, arguing that only social love, capable of becoming culture and norm, can generate a stable international order. Currently, war is becoming normalized, being used as an instrument of international politics, prepared through simplistic narratives, friend-enemy logic, disinformation, and fear.
Pope Leo XIV affirms the need to overcome the "just war" theory, replacing it with dialogue, diplomacy, and forgiveness. However, he recognizes that the enormous economic interests behind war complicate this transition, especially when the arms industry is a key sector in some economies. New armed actors have emerged, such as jihadist groups, private militias, and criminal networks, whose objective is no longer definitive victory, but the perpetuation of conflict as a source of power and revenue.
In building the civilization of love, Pope Leo XIV proposes five paths of responsibility: disarming words, building peace through justice, assuming the gaze of victims, cultivating healthy realism, and revitalizing dialogue and multilateralism. Pope Francis had warned that using God's name to legitimize violence actually means wounding religion itself. The article concludes by referring to the example of Mary and the Magnificat, calling for sharing and hope.
