The Artificial Intelligence Revolution in Global Politics: Key National Players in the Reconfiguration of International Order

 By Javier Surasky

We are at a decisive moment in human history where artificial intelligence is fundamentally reconfiguring the global balance of power. Similar to how nuclear technology transformed international relations in the 20th century, AI is establishing itself as the defining technology of our era, generating new power centers and redrawing global influence maps: traditional national power parameters are being progressively eclipsed by countries' AI capabilities.

Today, we are witnessing an unprecedented race for AI supremacy with three key poles: The United States, betting on an innovation ecosystem centered in Silicon Valley and regulations that prioritize innovation over other considerations; China, with its New Generation AI Development Plan and its high levels of directed state investment, data control, and production capabilities; and the European Union, already positioned as a global leader in AI regulation and ethical frameworks.

However, many other "second tier" poles are playing strong: 

  • Israel has a robust ecosystem of emerging AI companies with a strong orientation in cybersecurity, intelligence, and military AI applications. This country has the highest concentration of AI companies per capita worldwide. 
  • South Korea launched its "Digital New Deal 2.0" as part of its post-pandemic national strategy. Samsung dominates the global semiconductor industry, and the country leads in robotics. 
  • Japan stands out with its "Society 5.0" and "Robotic Revolution" initiatives. The country hosts companies like Toyota (autonomous systems), SoftBank (AI investments), Fujitsu (supercomputing), and NEC (biometrics).

Still a step behind but emerging strongly we find:

  • India, with its skilled workforce in technology and IT services sectors, showing sustained growth of emerging companies in the AI field centered in Bangalore, supported by the state through its national AI strategy (AIforAll) and the "Digital India" initiative. Its main areas of specialization are in AI for the healthcare and agriculture sectors.
  • After Brexit, the United Kingdom adopted its AI White Paper (2023). Home to DeepMind, the country is a world leader in the financial technology sector and has a tradition of excellence in research (Oxford, Cambridge). 
  • Canada is a pioneer country in Deep Learning research. It has developed a "technology corridor" between Toronto-Waterloo and an AI hub in Montreal, with significant developments in Vancouver and a world-renowned AI research center in Edmonton. 
  • Singapore, a technological and financial center, is making notable efforts to strengthen its AI system based on broad capital support and its ability to attract talent.

Taking this group of countries, a quick mapping of capabilities shows that South Korea and Japan lead in robotics, Israel in cybersecurity, and India in software services. Canada stands out internationally for its research efforts in deep learning and the United Kingdom in healthcare and financial technology, while Singapore already excels in financial development.

These countries are accumulating distinctive advantages in military planning, economic forecasting, and diplomatic negotiations. They process massive volumes of data, predict global trends, and respond to international crises quickly and precisely. In their race toward AI leadership, countries compete to control critical components: semiconductors, rare earth elements, and human talent.

Indeed, changes in access to these resources impact the path to the international success of their AI strategies, as demonstrated by the "ASML Case" of the restricted export of advanced chip manufacturing equipment from the Netherlands to China due to its alignment with Russia in Ukraine.

A particularly relevant aspect is that, unlike traditional power metrics, AI capability is not determined exclusively by government action. Private companies, research institutions, and individual innovators play crucial roles. OpenAI's developments influence global AI policy as much as any government initiative. Elon Musk's appointment in the Trump administration speaks to the future role technology company leaders turned government actors could play.

While maintaining AI supremacy has become a priority for developed nations, for developing countries, acquiring AI capabilities becomes a concrete path to gaining global influence and overcoming their backwardness. At the same time, middle powers see specialization in AI niches as an opportunity to increase their global strategic relevance and strengthen regional leadership.

We are entering an era where AI capability will become a fundamental determinant of national power. Countries that successfully integrate AI into their national strategies and establish efficient and secure governance frameworks will advance. At the same time, the rest will see how a digital divide that relegates them widens.

In this context, we understand that there are three priorities to be addressed by international policy decision-makers that require multilateral scenarios to develop:

1. The establishment of international frameworks for AI governance.

2. Guaranteeing equitable access to AI capabilities among countries.

3. Promoting responsible AI development that respects human rights, democracy, the environment, and the principles of the United Nations Charter, especially the defense of peace.

The question no longer lies in whether AI will transform global power dynamics but in how we will shape this transformation.