The Role of AI in the Governance Sector in the Disinformation Age: A Qualitative Study on the Example of Tech Diplomacy and Parliaments

Titel in Übersetzung: Die Rolle von KI im Governance-Sektor im Zeitalter von Desinformation: Eine qualitative Studie am Beispiel von „Tech Diplomacy“ und Parlamenten

Publikation: AbschlussarbeitMasterarbeit

Abstract

Given the fact that throughout history technology and innovation have transformed societies as well as have shaped power relations among states, the emergence of new and disruptive systems and technologies enabled by Artificial Intelligence (AI) are having a huge impact on peace and security, human rights and sustainable development – so basically on our every day’s life. However, what distinguishes this social and technological transformation from previous transitions is the unprecedented speed at which these developments are advancing today. In order to retain an overview of this complexity and to ensure a necessary balance in the equilibrium and interplay of powers, regulations, laws but above all a critical debate on the disruptive changes and their impact on our society is essential. On the one side, there’s the role of European governance in setting norms and standards for these technologies with regard to the global scope and different concepts from other continents. On the other hand, important ethical considerations need to be taken into account in the deployment and utilization of AI to ensure that important European values such as ethics, transparency, fairness and accountability are incorporated.

In this context, tech diplomacy, which will be explained in more detail in Chapter 1, plays a critical role in bridging the gap between technological advances and policy frameworks. It facilitates international cooperation to adopt and implement global standards that ensure the responsible use of new technologies, such as AI. By also advocating for ethical guidelines and regulatory measures, tech diplomacy also promotes alignment with democratic values and human rights. In parallel, legislative processes – implemented by parliaments at the national level – form the basis for ensuring the legal, ethical and safe use of AI. This interaction between diplomacy and legislation in the context of disruptive technologies is crucial to effectively manage the use of new technologies such as AI at the national level, but in line with international standards.

But how does one deal with today's pervasive threat of disinformation and false narratives in this field? The threat of disinformation is omnipresent today and has the potential to undermine the legislative activities and processes of diplomatic missions. While AI could significantly support civil servants in the diplomatic and parliamentary sector for the preparation of their missions and tasks, the manipulation of data through disinformation simultaneously poses substantial risks to international relations and national coordination processes at the legislative level at the same time. If AI systems process already manipulated data, it can lead to misguided diplomatic strategies and parliamentary steering initiatives, eroding trust within diplomatic teams, governmental parties and among international partners. This could result in faulty decisions, reinforcement of disinformation, and legitimization of false narratives, ultimately damaging a nation's credibility and diplomatic effectiveness.

Based on in-depth research and quantitative interviews with experts in the field of diplomacy and legislation, this thesis examines what conditions and considerations already exist for the utilization of AI in the governance sector from an Austrian perspective on the example of diplomacy and parliaments. It also investigates how AI technologies could support the mission work of diplomats and responsibilities of public servants in parliaments. In addition, this paper presents some key European legal frameworks for the implementation of AI and, based on these, compares selected regulations and guidelines from Austria and Germany. By further highlighting selected potential applications of AI-driven tools and methods, this study also provides a comprehensive understanding of existing state-of-the-art AI-based solutions from Austria that could potentially help public servants to better deal with disinformation and thus support them in their commitment and mission to contribute to a safe society and a peaceful, free Europe.

In summary, this study aims to answer the following key research questions:
1. To what extent is the diplomatic and parliamentary sector knowledgeable and sensitive to the legal conformity of AI use within the European value system?
2. What are the potential areas of application of AI for the management of system-specific tasks within the diplomatic and parliamentary sector?
3. How aware are the diplomatic and parliamentary sectors of hybrid threats and false narratives, and how well do they understand the role of AI in building resilience or defending against disinformation?
Titel in ÜbersetzungDie Rolle von KI im Governance-Sektor im Zeitalter von Desinformation: Eine qualitative Studie am Beispiel von „Tech Diplomacy“ und Parlamenten
OriginalspracheEnglisch
QualifikationMaster of Arts
Gradverleihende Hochschule
  • Universidad Politécnica de Madrid
  • Politecnico di Milano
Betreuer/-in / Berater/-in
  • Rupp, Christian, Betreuer:in, Externe Person
Datum der Bewilligung9 Okt. 2024
PublikationsstatusVeröffentlicht - Sept. 2024

Research Field

  • Multimodal Analytics
  • Computer Vision

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