CSS Current Affairs | Effects of AI Race on IR and its Implications for Pakistan
The following question of CSS Current Affairs is solved by Hamza Aslam under the supervision of Howfiv’s Pakistan Affairs and Current Affairs Coaches. She learnt how to attempt 20 marks question and essay writing from Sir Syed Kazim Ali, Pakistan’s best CSS and PMS English essay and precis teacher with the highest success rate of his students. This solved past paper question is attempted on the pattern taught by Sir to his students, scoring the highest marks in compulsory and optional subjects for years, and uploaded to help aspirants understand how to crack a topic or question, how to write relevantly, what coherence is, and how to include and connect ideas, opinions, and suggestions to score the maximum.
Outline
1- Introduction
2- Understanding AI and its relation with International Relations
3- Global Race for AI supremacy effects on International relations
- ✓Increasing collaboration and cooperation among states
- ✓Shifting geopolitical landscape towards developing countries
- ✓Intensifying relations between world powers
4- AI race implications for Pakistan in terms of policy and strategic alliances
- ✓Limited foreign policy options
- ✓Imbalances in policy formation
- ✓Alienation from new strategic alliances
5- Ways forward
6- Conclusion
Answer to the Question
Introduction
The front-runners of the AI race have shifted all their energies and resources to winning the race because the winner would be able to craft the world geopolitics. The rapid development in AI has significantly impacted international relations by shifting the geopolitical arena, increasing collaboration and cooperation among states, and intensifying relations between the world powers. Ironically, Pakistan’s little progress in AI development may have substantial implications for the country in terms of policy and strategic alliances. These implications include limited options for foreign policy, imbalances in policy formations, and alienation from new strategic alliances. However, all hopes are not lost; the country can save itself from these negative consequences by investing in research and development and by collaborating with countries and private companies for AI development.
Understanding AI and its relation with International Relations
The term Artificial Intelligence (AI) was coined by McCarthy in 1952. He defined it as “AI is the science and engineering used for making machines, especially intelligent computer programs. Actually, AI is the ability of a developing system to behave and perform tasks intelligently. As AI has been incorporated into every field of life, it has created significant impacts on international relations. AI has become a source of fostering cooperation with different countries, formulating foreign policies, making decisions, and predicting future geopolitical events. Chinese government officials have said that AI helps them to take decisive actions by analyzing large data sets and formulating foreign policy by excluding human emotions. Thus, AI is playing a substantial role in International relations, affecting the geopolitical arena both positively and negatively.
AI supremacy affecting International relations
- ✓Increasing collaboration and cooperation among states
Artificial Intelligence has played an important role in fostering collaboration and cooperation among different organizations, institutions, and states. To make considerable development in AI, countries are collaborating with each other to step faster towards new innovations and research. Recently, BRICS announced the formation of an AI study group to enhance and monitor AI innovations in member countries. The collaborative efforts of BRICS members may help to make faster and more significant developments in the AI sector. Besides that, many other countries, such as the UK, the US, South Korea, and Taiwan, are working together to make rapid progress in AI. Therefore, the AI race has helped the world to cooperate with each other for significant development.
- ✓Shifting geopolitical arena
Increasing development in the AI sector has shifted the geopolitical landscape from developed countries to developing countries. Developing countries that have made significant progress in the development of AI are exercising their sway in international affairs. At present, Taiwan, a small country, is leading the world in the formation of cutting-edge semiconductor technology. Even the world superpowers, the United States and China, have depended on Taiwan to manufacture the best quality semiconductors. Hence, AI development is changing the players in the geopolitical arena and turning the table towards developing countries.
- ✓Intensifying relations between world powers
The race for the development of AI has increased tensions between the world powers, the United States and China. The progress of Beijing in AI has become a potential threat to Washington’s ability to maintain its supremacy in the world. A technological war started between the two countries after they recognized the importance of technological development in upholding power in the world. Recently, the Biden administration has banned the export of semiconductor chips and other manufacturing materials to contain China’s advancement in the technological sector. The President’s actions depict that the countries are going into new war fronts to maintain supremacy over each other. Thus, the global race to become a technological giant has produced troubles in the relations of world powers.
AI race implications for Pakistan in terms of policy and strategic alliances
- ✓Limited foreign policy options
Exponential technological progress has raised potential threats for the world, especially developing countries. A surge in technological innovations by the developed countries has increased the dependence of developing countries on it. As a result of increasing dependence, Pakistan, being a developing country, may leave with limited foreign policy options. A compromise in foreign policy may significantly affect the country’s sovereignty and growth. According to the World Economic Forum report regarding AI Future, potential advancements in AI may lead the world towards digital colonization. The country would have to dance to foreign tunes because of its over-dependence on world-leading countries. Therefore, the global race for the development of AI would make the country compromise its foreign policy.
- ✓Imbalances in policy formation
The continuous rise in AI development would imbalance the country’s policy because of the allocation of a significant portion of the budget to technological advancement. Progress in the technological sector is inevitable, compelling the country to develop technologically in order to keep pace with the developing world. Dr. Michio Kaku, a veteran Theoretical Physicist, aptly opined that we are entering a period of accelerated change. The next 50 years would be like the previous 10,000 years rolled into one. The statement appropriately tells that the coming years will be full of great technological breakthroughs and demand that countries adopt technological innovations for growth and prosperity. Thus, investing a large chunk of the budget in AI development would imbalance the policy formation in the country.
- ✓Alienation from new strategic alliances
The non-traditional alliances for technological growth might alienate Pakistan from new strategic alliances. Countries are making alliances to collaborate in the field of AI development and aspiring to step faster towards new innovations and developments. According to the International Strategic Studies Institute, reports about the nature of strategic alliances in the AI era discuss that Pakistan would be excluded from the alliances if it has not made significant progress in the field of AI. New alliances have been formed to share AI expertise and infrastructure for new developments. Therefore, a lack of substantial development in the technological sector would alienate the country from new strategic alliances.
Ways Forward
To keep pace with the developments of AI, it is high time to make serious efforts for technological advancement in the country. The government should allocate a handsome amount for research and development and institutions building for innovations and developments. Furthermore, the country may have to make efforts to collaborate with the front runners of the AI race, China and the US, to increase technological breakthroughs. Cooperation with the countries may help to gain technical expertise and equipment for AI development. Thus, investing significantly and cooperating with other countries may increase the progress of technology in the country.
Conclusion
In summary, the increasing competition for AI supremacy has substantially affected the relations of countries. It has increased collaboration and cooperation, shifted the geopolitical landscape, and increased adversities among the countries. Nevertheless, Pakistan may face severe implications if it has not done significantly for the technological advancements. Lack of AI development may leave the country with limited foreign policy options, imbalance its policies, and alienate it from new strategic alliances. However, it is not too late; the country’s decisive technological actions may save it from tomorrow’s destruction.
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