The following presentation was given at VIJIGISHU 2021 conference organized by Amity Institute of International Studies, Amity University, India on 2021/09/24.
The advancement of emerging technology has already made a profound impact on all the domains and aspects of International Relations. The scope and power of Artificial Intelligence (AI) have risen exponentially, and its inclusion has become a requisite in explaining the power dynamics within the arena of international relations. With the dawn of the 21st century, the global power dynamics have been shifting towards the Asia Pacific as the region is diverse, consisting of technological superpowers, highest populations, the world’s largest and emerging economies, hotly contested geographical regions, diverse linguistic, cultural, and religious backgrounds. In recent years, Artificial Intelligence has been primarily thought about by the members of QUAD, ASEAN, and China in the Asia Pacific for the pursuit of exercising power in the region and beyond. The past research by scholars on power dynamics in the Asia-Pacific region has fallen short in addressing the implications of emerging technology in this particular region as it is usually studied only through the military, economic and political lenses. To address these shortcomings incurred in the past research, and to predict the future role of AI on power dynamics, this research paper shall comprehensively throw light and investigate the role of emerging technologies, AI, in particular, which is responsible for shaping the power dynamics in the Asia Pacific region. Remaining within the scope of AI, this paper will investigate and analyze the government white papers, bilateral and multilateral agreements, governments AI policy, past research papers, books, keynotes given by officials. The advancement in AI has opened up new areas of friction and cooperation among nations that change the power dynamics in the Asia-Pacific in a consequential manner.
The following slides presents the comprehensive understandings of how Artificial Intelligence impacts the power dynamics in the Asia Pacific region.