AI and Geostrategic Communication

The impact of AI in the Geostrategic arena has acquired a new dimension in the backdrop of the recently concluded AI Paris summit. Consequently, Geostrategic communication has assumed a new role and responsibility in driving the global information order. The immediate challenge facing strategic communication practitioners is the extent to which expertise, experience and information dissemination pathways act as an enabler for positioning the spirit of collaboration and partnership within the global community. In light of the Paris Summit, the challenge today is to design a geostrategic communication model that is inclusive, innovative and integrative in promoting multi-stakeholder partnership in global diplomacy with a focused communication agenda in the bilateral and multilateral institutional setting.

While the AI Summit promoted the idea of investment and partnership thereby bringing about a change in geopolitical dynamics, geostrategic communication in the era of AI tech-driven ecosystem needs to be woven into a global governance model based on innovation, enhanced outreach inclusive and transparent. The communication process must focus on promoting sustainability to do away with inequalities and disparities that afflict the international system. The geostrategic framework must facilitate the promotion of open-source systems and processes that keep people-centric policies in focus.

Geostrategic communication in the AI-prompted era needs to focus on integrating nations on issues such as digital public infrastructure, clean energy, public-private partnership and resource pooling and management. Through the information pathway, there is a need to bring nations together to build partnerships, which highlight the spirit and skill of human capabilities dispelling the fear of jobs and loss of employment opportunities. In the process, strategies need to position the centrality of human ingenuity as the basis of change, sustainability, dialogue and support for all AI-driven experiments and experiences. The communication design needs to be built focusing on the future of humanity through a safe and secure governance model. Against the backdrop of the deliberations of the Paris Summit, global policy practitioners in diplomacy need to understand the profound implications of an AI-driven communications model. Nations with robust AI-integrated communication strategies will surely wield greater influence in international discourse, diplomacy, and public perception management. Policymakers must recognize these shifts and proactively shape communication frameworks that account for AI’s role in media control, misinformation mitigation, and digital diplomacy.

In light of the AI Summit in Paris, the geopolitical arena today has been presented with an opportunity for world leaders to discuss and implement the “Global Communication Information Order”. A communication order and strategy that could help bridge geopolitical divides while ensuring ethical AI usage. Such a framework should prioritize transparency, data sovereignty, and the preservation of the human element in communication. Effective geopolitical communications require the age-old mantra of the 7C’s i.e. Clear, Concise, Concrete, Correct, Coherent, Complete, and Continuous. This has been a time-tested model where the interplay of forces has always been implemented the same in given situations and international systems.

Perhaps, we are at the cusp of history, where the intent of reaching out through communication platforms in the geo-political space is free from preconceived notions, predilections and asymmetrical designs. Human reason and ingenuity remain critical despite AI’s efficiency. The AI Summit emphasized that AI should complement human oversight to ensure narratives are empathetic, culturally sensitive, and strategically sound. India’s leadership showcased its commitment to democratizing AI, calling for open-source systems, unbiased data sets, and people-centric applications, serving as a model for the Global South.

AI impacts diplomatic communication internally, bilaterally, and multilaterally, streamlining governance, enhancing diplomatic interactions, and managing complex negotiations. The Summit called for a global AI communication framework that stresses integrating technology with human creativity to shape the future of global communication ethically and effectively. While AI offers unparalleled efficiency, human reason and ingenuity remain crucial in shaping global communication trends. The Summit underscored the importance of human oversight in AI governance, emphasizing that technology should complement, not replace, human judgment. Human creativity ensures that AI-driven narratives are empathetic, culturally sensitive, and strategically sound.

As we stand at the crossroads of change and innovation impacting the global communication landscape, the moot question is whether AI will transform communications or make the world more dependent on the tech-driven agenda. It is imperative to understand that human discourse will be the torchbearer in shaping this transformation to serve the best geopolitical interests while preserving the authenticity and effectiveness of human communication. We should not configure the dawn of AI tools as a challenge in creating authentic narratives but leverage AI to redefine communication in an era where technology and human intellect must coexist harmoniously. The AI ecosystem should provide positive vibes to reinforce human-centric policies that are robust, and ethical and give us the space for meaningful human connections.

In the end, perhaps the most profound impact of AI on communications isn’t in the technology itself, but in how it compels us to re-examine and redefine what meaningful human connection looks like in an increasingly digital world. As we harness the power of artificial intelligence to amplify our messages, we must ensure that we do not lose sight of the very essence of communication—the human touch that turns information into understanding and data into dialogue. It is extremely important to realise that technological advancement shall always go hand in hand with human ingenuity to achieve the most effective communication outcomes. The most important message from the AI Paris Summit is that human interface must always weave information into a collaborative understanding and the power of data must always be utilised for cooperation and collaboration. The need of the hour is that the geopolitical space must utilise AI to complement human intellect in outlining a meaningful and impactful communication strategy.

With inputs by Zoya Ahmad and Vaishnavie Srinivasan 

The writer is a former civil servant who writes on strategic communication and cinema. Views expressed are personal