AI has the potential to transform the environment in which diplomacy is carried out and also offering the diplomats new tools to assist them in their normal activities
Currently artificial intelligence (AI) is capped as one of the unavoidable elements of scientific advancement. Some experts say the future lies with artificial intelligence as our most recent civilisation is guided by the technological push. This trend is irreversible as it generates benefits to global society. Many scientists and experts have come up with remarks and comments on its development because of its largely extended utilisation.
It may be noted that Mustafa Suleyman, an expert on artificial intelligence, realised that the machine had “seemingly super human insight” as pointed out in his book on AI “The Coming Wave”. Geoffrey Hinton is regarded and respected as the godfather of AI as he has made great contributions to its initial development. When a reporter for The New York Times spoke with experts about the real effects of this glaring gift and what could be expected in 2024, it was observed that if the world woke up to AI in 2023, 2024 might be the year in which its legal and technical limits would be tested and breached.
Its steady progress recorded in the early decades of the 21st century is notable. Its future looks promising to emerging societies in the world at large. The benefits accrued from the use of AI machines are highly appreciable. Its advancement greatly benefits society because the advantages it brings far outweigh the cost involved, which pushed the United Nations to convene the “AI for Good Summit” in Geneva in the early weeks of 2023, in which well-known companies, such as Amazon, Google, Microsoft and the like participated.
The International Telecommunication of the UN was the main organiser of the event. Its main objectives were to identify several ways of using AI to advance the UN’s lagging sustainable goals on issues such as health, climate, poverty, hunger and clean water by ensuring that AI charts the course that benefits humanity.
Artificial intelligence is now seen as a new international game changer. Many experts believe that the winners of the AI development race would dominate the coming decades economically and geopolitically, potentially exacerbating tensions between countries. Responsible global leaders’ observations neatly point out how the rapid developments achieved in the field of artificial intelligence will potentially change the face and substance of the world.
Prominent authors also use the term “super-intelligence” to describe AI that can exceed human intelligence across any sort of task. Notable is the current reality where the United States is certainly at the forefront of this emerging technology, and its investments far exceed those made in Europe. And China is also making huge investments so as not to lag behind the US.
AI has widespread impact on human activities. Its impact, in particular on the conduct of diplomacy, is worthy of note. Authors say that AI has useful impact on diplomacy in two ways. First, by transforming the environment in which diplomacy is carried out, and second, by offering the diplomats new tools to assist them in their normal activities.
Experts have enumerated the broad impact of AI on the conduct of diplomacy in the following terms: AI as a tool for usual diplomatic practice; as a topic for the conduct of diplomatic negotiations; and as an element in shaping the environment in which diplomacy is practised.
It is also noteworthy that AI might be an embraceable component to conduct cyber diplomacy which has now noticeably emerged as normal activities since the onslaught of COVID in 2020. The emergence and development of AI incredibly owe themselves to tools like ChatGPT, Dall-E, Stability AI, Midjourney and the like in addition to the well-known companies of the US, like Amazon and Google, among others.
It is to be noted that the daily use of AI is increasing as time is passing with its intrusive encroachment of many aspects of human activities. Naturally the conduct of diplomacy on the global stage will become part of national and international behavior in view of its instantaneous advantage and facility accrued from its increasing adoption irrespective of some risks involved.
Going back to the traditional practice of diplomacy assumes lesser significance because a new scenario has come up, and there is no alternative to adopting it and adapting to it. While it forges ahead rapidly and given its practical utility, a group of experts believe that “artificial intelligence and other technologies should be allowed to move as quickly as possible with no guardrails or gate keepers standing in the way of innovation.” They prefer to stay with what they term as “effective acceleration” of AI, especially in these early decades of the 21st century.
Diplomacy as practised now should allocate due place to AI as a process of teaming up with the recent acceleration of technology. If not done in actuality, its practitioners would be obsolete, clogged by an obtrusive tendency and naturally branded as people unfriendly to the progressive development of recent technology.
Of course, there are people who worry about AI safety and the tormenting idea that the powerful AI could destroy humanity if left free without any restraint. This doubt is genuine and needs to be given critical consideration. Several countries, especially developed nations, are moving to regulate its unrestricted development by enacting relevant laws and regulations to ensure its safety for humans and keep modern civilisation on the right track. There is widespread expectation that it will be curbed through by sagacious leadership of governments and the insightful, intuitive legislatures of countries around the world. No free ride will be allowed.
