ROME - Pope Francis called on Thursday for a legally binding international treaty to regulate artificial intelligence.

The pope made his call in a message for the Roman Catholic Church's World Day of Peace, which is celebrated on Jan. 1. The title of the message, which is traditionally sent to world leaders, is "Artificial Intelligence and Peace".

"The global scale of artificial intelligence makes it clear that, alongside the responsibility of sovereign states to regulate its use internally, international organizations can play a decisive role in reaching multilateral agreements and coordinating their application and enforcement," he wrote.

"I urge the global community of nations to work together in order to adopt a binding international treaty that regulates the development and use of artificial intelligence in its many forms," the pope said.

Francis, who has often criticised the armaments industry, warned against the use of artificial intelligence in weapons systems.

"Research on emerging technologies in the area of so-called Lethal Autonomous Weapon Systems, including the weaponization of artificial intelligence, is a cause for grave ethical concern. Autonomous weapon systems can never be morally responsible subjects," he said.

  - Reuters