There are two different prisms for investigating the relationship between technology and society. The technological prism views technology as a determining factor in society’s evolution. This prism assumes that once a new technology has been introduced, it will send multiple ripple effects through society impacting power relations, class struggles, geopolitical competitions and even norms, values, and laws.... Continue Reading →
AI’s Impact on Public Diplomacy
Recently, I was asked by an American diplomat about the benefits of using AI in public diplomacy activities. The Diplomat stated that as AI was a new kind of technology, foreign ministries around the world are anxious to learn about its benefits and shortcomings. This very question was put to me again this week when... Continue Reading →
Shock and Awe: How AI is Sidestepping Regulation
The recent actions of tech moguls and CEOs of AI (Artificial Intelligence) companies have left many feeling whiplashed. Several months ago, Open AI launched its generative language model ChatGPT. This was soon followed by a flurry of AI activity as start-ups and established tech giants such as Google and Microsoft flooded the market with AI... Continue Reading →
Monday’s Must Read List
Each week, I publish a list of interesting articles, essays and reports that may be of interest to the digital diplomacy community. This week- How India is using digital technology to project power (The Economist) 8 Big Questions About AI (The New York Times) Robot takeover? Not quite. Here’s what AI doomsday would look like... Continue Reading →
Monday’s Must Read List
Each week, I publish a list of interesting articles, essays and reports that may be of interest to the digital diplomacy community. This week- What is ChatGPT and what can it be used for? (Penn State University) AI creators must study consciousness, experts warn (BBC News) UK Blocks Microsoft-Activision Gaming Deal, Biggest in Tech (Voice... Continue Reading →
What is a Tech Diplomat?
A newspaper article published last week announced that the “US plans to boost tech diplomats deployed to Embassies”. The plan would see the State Department deploy a diplomat “trained in tech issues” to each of its 168 embassies. US diplomats stated that there was an urgent need to get diplomats with tech expertise into the... Continue Reading →
Monday’s Must Read List
Each week, I publish a list of interesting articles, essays and reports that may be of interest to the digital diplomacy community. This week- Is time up for Twitter? (BBC News) Twitter blue tick: Multiple Hillarys and New Yorks as verifications disappear (BBC News) Russia's Sberbank releases ChatGPT rival GigaChat (Reuters) From pope’s jacket to... Continue Reading →
ChatGPT and the Future of Diplomacy – Part 3
In recent weeks I have begun to explore how ChatGPT, a generative Chatbot created by Open AI, may impact the work of diplomats and diplomatic institutions. One blog post examined how ChatGPT may help diplomats automate the creation of texts ranging from social media posts to addresses at the UN. A second blog post examined... Continue Reading →
Monday’s Must Read List
Each week, I publish a list of interesting articles, essays and reports that may be of interest to the digital diplomacy community. This week- The Delusion at the Center of the A.I. Boom (Slate) The AI Disaster Scenario (The Atlantic) Is Globalization Over? (Project Syndicate) ChatGPT is making up fake Guardian articles. Here’s how we’re... Continue Reading →
ChatGPT and the Future of Diplomacy – Part 2
Ever since its launch in November of 2022, ChatGPT has attracted considerable media coverage. News reports have positively depicted the chatbot’s capabilities with journalists marveling at its ability to pass entry exams to law schools and medical schools, formulate court petitions, author legislation, and even pass medical licensing exams. These news reports all suggest that... Continue Reading →