The Evolution of Technology (2015–2025) and Its Impact on Global Diplomacy and International Relations

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The Evolution of Technology (2015–2025) and Its Impact on Global Diplomacy and International Relations

Over the past decade (2015–2025), technology has evolved at an unprecedented pace, transforming not only economies and societies but also the very fabric of global diplomacy and international relations (IR). From artificial intelligence and cybersecurity to digital diplomacy and information warfare, the tools, platforms, and infrastructures underpinning the international system have been fundamentally reshaped. States, international organizations, and non-state actors have all had to adapt to this rapid technological transformation, which has created both opportunities and new security dilemmas.

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1. The Digitalization of Diplomacy (E-Diplomacy)

One of the most visible transformations has been the digitalization of diplomacy. The rise of social media platforms like Twitter, Facebook, and more recently TikTok, reshaped how leaders, diplomats, and institutions communicate with global audiences. Leaders such as Donald Trump, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, and others have used platforms not just for public relations, but for direct diplomatic signaling, crisis communication, and agenda-setting.

Diplomatic institutions have also adopted virtual diplomacy due to technological advances and the COVID-19 pandemic, which forced summits, negotiations, and bilateral meetings to shift online. Virtual diplomacy has both enhanced efficiency and exposed challenges related to cybersecurity, informal diplomacy, and the erosion of traditional diplomatic protocols.

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2. Cybersecurity and Cyber Diplomacy

The past decade has seen the rise of cybersecurity as a central issue in IR. Cyber operations—ranging from election interference and espionage to ransomware attacks and critical infrastructure sabotage—have become regular instruments of statecraft.

• Russia's alleged cyber interference in the 2016 U.S. elections.
• China's cyber-enabled industrial espionage.
• North Korea's cyber-financial crimes.
• Cyberattacks on health sectors during the COVID-19 pandemic.

These cases prompted the formalization of cyber diplomacy, where states now negotiate cybersecurity norms, confidence-building measures, and agreements through forums like the UN Open-Ended Working Group (OEWG) and regional bodies.

However, the lack of universally accepted cyber norms continues to destabilize international relations, making cyberspace a contested and fragmented domain.

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3. Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Strategic Competition

AI's rapid development has profound implications for power politics and global security. The U.S.–China AI rivalry is widely viewed as a defining feature of contemporary geopolitics. AI affects:

• Military modernization (e.g., autonomous weapon systems, AI-enabled surveillance, intelligence analysis).
• Economic competitiveness (e.g., AI-driven industries, labor market restructuring).
• Technological sovereignty, as states increasingly seek to control critical AI supply chains and data flows.

This AI race has implications for deterrence, arms control, and strategic stability, as states worry about falling behind in both military and civilian applications of AI.

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4. The Information War: Disinformation and Influence Operations

Over the last decade, information warfare has emerged as a critical tool of both state and non-state actors. Disinformation campaigns, often amplified by AI and bots, have targeted elections, public opinion, and crisis situations.

• The weaponization of fake news during conflicts (e.g., Ukraine-Russia war).
• Manipulation of narratives during global health crises like COVID-19.
• Influence campaigns targeting fragile democracies and political transitions.

Such operations have challenged the credibility of democratic institutions, disrupted electoral processes, and undermined social trust globally. This new layer of conflict, often operating below the threshold of war, is shaping modern diplomacy and foreign policy.

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5. Space, Satellite Technology, and New Frontiers of Competition

Space technology evolved significantly, with the commercialization of space (e.g., SpaceX, Blue Origin) and renewed state interest (U.S., China, India, Russia) leading to intensified geopolitical competition. Satellite constellations, space-based communication systems, and anti-satellite (ASAT) weapons have increased concerns about the militarization of space.

Diplomatic efforts, such as the UN Outer Space Treaty discussions and bilateral dialogues, have struggled to keep up with the technological realities, leaving space governance fragmented.

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6. Blockchain, Cryptocurrencies, and the Challenge to Financial Sovereignty

Blockchain technology, most prominently through cryptocurrencies, has challenged traditional financial systems and the sovereignty of states over monetary policies. While initially seen as a financial innovation, the geopolitical implications became clearer as:

• Non-state actors used crypto for financing.
• States like El Salvador adopted Bitcoin as legal tender.
• Countries like Russia and Iran explored crypto to evade sanctions.

Additionally, Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs) emerged as tools for states to modernize financial systems while retaining control, with China leading the way through its digital yuan pilot.

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7. Big Tech, Global Governance, and the Erosion of State Authority

The global rise of Big Tech—Google, Meta, Amazon, Microsoft, Apple, Tencent, Alibaba—has created a new class of actors with transnational influence. Big Tech now directly affects international relations by:

• Controlling information ecosystems.
• Influencing political narratives.
• Offering critical infrastructure (cloud services, digital IDs, payment systems).
• Shaping AI, cloud, and quantum technology development.

States have found themselves negotiating not only with other states but also with powerful corporations whose influence often surpasses that of medium-sized states.

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8. Climate Tech and International Cooperation

Climate change remained a defining challenge, and climate technologies played a dual role. On one hand, renewable energy, carbon capture, and green innovation offered pathways for cooperation, such as the Paris Agreement and subsequent climate summits. On the other, the race for rare earth minerals, critical for clean energy technologies, generated new geopolitical tensions.

Technological solutions to climate change became central to international bargaining, shaping trade policies, development aid, and multilateral cooperation.

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9. The Changing Global Order: Multipolarity and Tech-Driven Power Shifts

Technological evolution contributed to the acceleration of multipolarity, where power is distributed among multiple major states (U.S., China, EU, Russia, India, etc.) rather than a U.S.-led unipolar system. Emerging technologies have enabled states beyond traditional Western powers to project influence regionally and globally.

Middle powers like Turkey, Iran, India, and South Korea have leveraged technologies like drones, cyber capabilities, and AI to assert themselves diplomatically and militarily.

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10. Emerging Norms and Institutions for Tech Governance

Efforts to establish global tech governance intensified, but results remained uneven. Initiatives included:

• The Global Partnership on AI (GPAI).
• EU AI Act and GDPR (setting global standards on privacy and AI).
• Ongoing UN-led efforts for cyber norms.
• The Paris Call for Trust and Security in Cyberspace.

However, the divergence between techno-democracies (e.g., U.S., EU, Japan) and techno-autocracies (e.g., China, Russia) has made consensus difficult, leaving open questions about the future shape of international tech governance.

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Conclusion

The last decade has marked the entanglement of technology and international relations to an unprecedented degree. From cyber warfare to AI-driven diplomacy, the geopolitical landscape is now directly shaped by technological capabilities, vulnerabilities, and norms. The world has entered an era where traditional diplomacy is insufficient without tech literacy, cyber resilience, and digital influence.

As we move into the next decade, the central challenge will be whether states and societies can create inclusive, secure, and fair governance mechanisms for emerging technologies—or whether tech-driven power rivalries will deepen global divisions.