A more stable and resilient scholarly ecosystem should be fostered to prepare for the singularity moment. Photo: TUCHONG

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Unlike previous technological revolutions, the transformation driven by artificial intelligence (AI) is ushering in new forms of social production relations. AI agents created by humans are beginning to understand intrinsic human needs, reshaping the deep ties between humanity and technology, and prompting structural shifts in how people live. These developments are also set to challenge and reshape existing social science disciplines. As an independent discipline, international relations emerged in the first half of the 20th century, but it was not until the 1960s and 1970s that its disciplinary system and basic theoretical framework fully took shape. Among the social sciences, the study of international relations is unquestionably a relative “latecomer.” Traditional international relations theories tend to treat technology as a constant—an auxiliary factor for understanding and accessing power boundaries and international strategies of major countries. Yet with the surging tide of AI, the field of international relations is approaching its own “singularity moment.”

AI reshaping the discipline 

In fact, AI’s impact on international relations is already well underway, and the field is quickly taking on characteristics that differ markedly from its earlier form. This external-to-internal transformation is profoundly altering the international relations discipline at its core, quietly signaling the start of a paradigm shift. 

First, AI technology is shaping a new agenda for international relations research. In the context of technological upheaval, a growing number of issues directly or indirectly related to AI are emerging as key drivers of global political dynamics, increasingly affecting international political practices.

Since the development of AI itself is now an important influencing factor in the contemporary international system, countries around the world are engaging in cooperation and competition on a range of topics—from development strategies and governance frameworks to ethical standards and data security. These issues are exerting increasing influence on the contours of international relations. AI’s extensive permeability allows it to connect across domains and create differentiated forms of empowerment. This, in turn, is prompting adjustments in areas such as international security, global economic coordination, and strategic planning, opening up new lines of inquiry. Moreover, the deep integration of AI and military technologies is transforming the nature of warfare. The development and deployment of autonomous weapons systems may reshape the form and nature of future conflicts, posing incalculable threats to global stability. Efforts to negotiate arms control agreements on such systems—to avoid a vicious armaments race—have already become one of the international community’s most pressing concerns. As AI matures, the structural shifts it may trigger in the international system will likely become a new growth point for theoretical research in the discipline.

Second, AI is revolutionizing research methodologies in international relations. One of the most significant shifts AI brings is methodological: Big data analytics is becoming a core tool in international relations research. AI can process massive datasets—ranging from social media activity and satellite imagery to economic indicators—far beyond the capacity of traditional techniques. This enables more precise assessments of geopolitical trends and more reliable forecasts of potential conflicts and cooperation opportunities. Machine learning algorithms are now widely used to identify complex patterns in international events through historical data modeling, offering more accurate predictions. These capabilities are especially valuable for crisis early warning and conflict prevention.

Since 2023, the emergence of general-purpose large models has further advanced simulation-based international relations research. Virtual environments now serve as experimental platforms where researchers can test the effects of various policy approaches and evaluate potential outcomes under different scenarios. This approach reduces the cost and risk of real-world policy trials and offers stronger support for informed decision-making.

Third, the AI technology wave is catalyzing the emergence of new political thought. Beyond changing the external world, AI is also profoundly altering the thinking of human society. In the past, political theory was primarily concerned with balancing the interests of different social groups. However, with the rise of AI, a more foundational question has come to the fore: How should the relationship between humans and intelligent machines be defined? This question is giving rise to two competing political currents—technological conservatism and technological progressivism.

Technological conservatism advocates a cautious approach to the development of AI technology, advocating for extreme caution regarding the development of artificial general intelligence and artificial super intelligence, and insisting that controllability must remain a hard limit. Technological progressivism sees technological progress as an unstoppable force for human advancement and calls for joint efforts to strengthen the research and development of AI technology to fully reap its societal benefits.  

The debate between these two positions is likely to persist throughout the AI era. As technology evolves, the dominance of one or the other will fluctuate, with mainstream opinion oscillating between caution and embrace. This dialectic will catalyze a reshuffling of human society’s identity and moral standards on a global scale, with far-reaching consequences for the international system. In short, AI has emerged as a powerful, adaptable technological force that is rapidly becoming embedded within the international relations paradigm. Its trajectory is beyond the control of the discipline itself, yet it is already driving evolution in research topics, agendas, methods, and concepts. In this sense, AI acts as a catalyst, propelling the discipline of international relations toward its own singularity—toward a paradigm revolution. The study of international relations will welcome the fundamental transformation of the international system with a new posture.  

Scholars shouldering new responsibilities

The global international relations community is currently engaged in an academic race centered on artificial intelligence—one that extends well beyond theoretical inquiry to encompass the design of international institution, the formation of global norms, and the construction of a new international order. In this era of AI, Chinese scholars stand on equal footing with their Western peers. Thanks to their acute awareness of the times and proactive creativity, Chinese researchers have rapidly accumulated valuable work on AI-related topics. Emerging research directions continue to multiply, forming a clear and diversified trajectory that is gaining broad recognition and attention.

Yet many researchers still lack sufficient mental preparedness for the revolutionary implications of AI. Theoretical reserves remain inadequate when it comes to addressing the paradigm shift AI may bring to the field of international relations—or the potential changes it could provoke at the global level. To meet these challenges, the international relations academic community must elevate its perspective to the level of social science development as a whole, and undertake a systematic evaluation and planning of China’s AI-related international relations research. This effort should begin with the potential for paradigm revolution and be guided by the country’s real and pressing needs in the AI domain. The goal is to build a research agenda that truly aligns with the demands of the era. In addition, the academic community should foster a more stable and resilient scholarly ecosystem—one capable of preparing for the discipline’s “singularity moment.” Only through such preparedness can human society transition into the digital age with relative stability, ensuring national peace, stability, and continued development. For this generation of international relations scholars, this is both an inescapable responsibility and a profound historical mission. 

Feng Shuai is a senior research fellow from the Center for International Cyberspace Governance at Shanghai Institutes for International Studies.

Edited by ZHAO YUAN