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Artificial Intelligence in Diplomacy
AI’s expanding role in International Affairs
Context: Artificial Intelligence (AI) is increasingly transforming global industries, and diplomacy — once seen as the domain of purely human judgment — is no exception.
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- From real-time translations and data analysis to supporting peace negotiations, AI is gradually becoming an integral tool in the diplomatic toolkit.
- However, this integration brings forth critical questions about transparency, ethics, accountability, and global equity in access.
How AI is Transforming Diplomacy
AI is already reshaping key functions in diplomacy by enhancing administrative efficiency, improving communication, and offering decision-support capabilities in complex scenarios:
- Automating Consular Services and Media Monitoring: Embassies now use AI chatbots and virtual assistants for services like visa applications, refugee support, and consular registrations.
- For instance, the U.S. Embassy in Guinea began using ChatGPT in 2022 to generate media briefs, speeches, and project documents, freeing diplomats from repetitive reporting tasks.
- Enabling Real-Time Language Translation: Tools like Google’s translation glasses simplify cross-language dialogue during negotiations.
- AI-driven simultaneous translation reduces time spent on consecutive interpretation, improving efficiency in multilateral meetings.
- Augmenting Peace and Trade Negotiations: AI is being tested in high-stakes negotiations:
- The Futures Lab at CSIS developed the Ukraine-Russia Peace Agreement Simulator, which uses generative AI to recommend agreement drafts based on user-defined priorities across territory, justice, security, and economics.
- AI “Hagglebots” provide data-backed negotiation suggestions in real-time, reducing the time and uncertainty associated with traditional diplomatic bargaining.
- The International Chamber of Commerce’s Cognitive Trade Advisor (CTA), built with IBM, uses a cognitive assistant “Adam” to analyse trade agreements and respond to natural language queries.
- Understanding Public Sentiment: AI-powered sentiment analysis tools help diplomats monitor public opinion, especially during crises.
Current Limitations of AI in Diplomacy
- Emotional and Cultural Limitations: AI struggles to understand emotional nuance, cultural context, and the complexities of human negotiation.
- Importance of Human Judgment: Sensitive diplomatic situations require emotional intelligence and intuition that AI cannot replicate.
- Risk of Misinterpretation: AI may misread sarcasm or irony, as seen when a sarcastic tweet during COVID-19 was wrongly classified as “positive.”
- Need for Human-in-the-Loop (HITL): Integrating human oversight ensures accurate interpretation and prevents diplomatic errors from automated outputs.
Risks and Ethical Challenges of AI in Foreign Policy
- Geopolitical and Cultural Bias: AI systems developed in advanced nations may reflect their values, risking marginalisation of developing countries in global diplomacy.
- AI Access Inequality: High costs of custom AI tools limit access for resource-constrained nations, creating a strategic imbalance in diplomatic capabilities.
- Lack of Transparency: Many AI systems lack explainability and audit trails, making it difficult to assess their reliability or potential biases.
- Risks to National and Ethical Interests: Blind acceptance of AI outputs without scrutiny can undermine national sovereignty and ethical standards in decision-making.
Future of AI in Diplomacy: Augmentation, Not Automation
- To responsibly integrate AI into international relations, governments and diplomatic institutions must balance efficiency with oversight.
- Adopt AI accountability frameworks, like the Information Technology Industry Council (ITI)’s model, which emphasises auditability and risk assessments.
- Train diplomats in AI literacy, equipping them to use these tools effectively while understanding their limitations.
- Prioritise human agency by ensuring final decisions are made by people, not algorithms.
- Promote adaptive AI systems that can respond to cultural diversity and context-specific requirements in global diplomacy.
