Nobel laureates sign Rome Declaration on nuclear weapons and AI
Nobel laureates, scientists, religious leaders and former political leaders have signed a declaration calling for stronger international cooperation on nuclear weapons, AI and autonomous weapons.
Nobel laureates and international experts signed the Rome Declaration for an Unarmed and Disarming Peace on 16 July 2026 at Rome’s Capitoline Hill.
The declaration concluded the Global Nobel Laureates Assembly on Artificial Intelligence and Nuclear War, which brought together more than 200 participants from research institutions, religious organisations and public life.
The Vatican hosted the first two days of the assembly, on 14 and 15 July, at Borgo Laudato si’ in Castel Gandolfo. The final session was held at Rome’s City Hall.
The declaration addresses the risks associated with nuclear weapons, AI, autonomous weapons and emerging digital technologies. It calls for renewed international cooperation and for decisions involving war, peace and human survival to remain under meaningful human control.
Speakers at the event included Cardinal Baldo Reina, Nobel Peace Prize laureate Maria Ressa and Nobel Prize-winning physicist David Gross.
Gross warned that the risks posed by nuclear weapons had increased as arms control agreements weakened and nuclear competition accelerated. Other speakers emphasised the need for ethical safeguards as AI systems become more capable.
The declaration calls on nuclear-armed states to adopt measures that reduce the risk of nuclear conflict and on governments and technology developers to ensure that AI and autonomous systems remain subject to human responsibility and oversight.
