As we enter into the era of artificial intelligence (AI), marked by developments like OpenAI’s ChatGPT-4, we find ourselves at the intersection of profound innovation and potential global upheaval. With AI’s capacity for autonomous learning and adaptation, it stands to drastically reconstruct our societal fabric. It can be a beacon of peace, capable of predicting conflict, streamlining dialogue and catalyzing peacebuilding initiatives. Yet, in absence of regulatory checks, it could foster destabilization, bolster autocratic systems, proliferate misinformation and compromise democratic values.

On September 8, USIP held a conversation on the rapidly evolving world of AI that examined its potential as both a beacon for peacebuilding and a challenge for global stability. The discussion featured perspectives from USIP’s Youth Advisory Council and shed light on AI’s transformative implications for conflict resolution, societal structures and the role of youth in shaping this digital future.