In this interview, David Andersson speaks with Dr. Ira Helfand, Past President of the International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War (IPPNW), recipient of the 1985 Nobel Peace Prize, Co-Founder and Past President of Physicians for Social Responsibility, member of the International Steering Group of ICAN, recipient of the 2017 Nobel Peace Prize, and recipient of the 2023 Gandhi King Ikeda Award.
“Don’t Let AI Get the Bomb.” This simple but urgent message captures the central warning emerging from a landmark international conference held in Rome on the dangers of integrating artificial intelligence into nuclear command and control systems.
Hosted by the Vatican and organized by IPPNW and the Global Nobel Assembly, the conference brought together Nobel laureates, scientists, AI experts, diplomats, and religious leaders to examine one of the greatest existential risks facing humanity.
Dr. Helfand explains how AI can increase the risk of nuclear war by accelerating military decision-making, introducing algorithmic bias, relying on inaccurate or manipulated data, and reinforcing automation bias—the tendency of humans to trust machine recommendations even when they are wrong. He discusses research showing that AI systems recommended the use of nuclear weapons in most simulated international crises and warns that the parallel AI and nuclear arms races are creating unprecedented dangers.
The interview also examines the Rome Declaration, which calls for the complete elimination of nuclear weapons and for binding international safeguards to prevent AI from being integrated into nuclear weapons systems.
As Dr. Helfand argues, humanity cannot afford to allow machines to make decisions that could end civilization. The message is clear:
Don’t let AI get the Bomb.
This interview is part of Pressenza’s continuing coverage of peace, nuclear disarmament, artificial intelligence, and the future of humanity.
Interviewer: David Andersson
Guest: Dr. Ira Helfand
