AI Steps Into Diplomacy: Inside the Bridge Summit Reframing Global Affairs
The Bridge Summit—convened by historian Andrew Roberts, technologist Pieter Kallot, and strategist David Perski—brought together a rare mix of statesmen, diplomats, military officials, economists, and AI experts to examine how emerging technologies may reshape global affairs. The event, profiled by Time Magazine, explored whether advanced AI can support leaders in understanding complex conflicts, testing negotiation pathways, and identifying risks that often remain hidden within traditional diplomatic frameworks.
At the center of the discussions was the question of whether AI can meaningfully augment statecraft. Participants reviewed models capable of analyzing vast geopolitical datasets, historical patterns, and behavioral dynamics—tools that could, in theory, provide more comprehensive scenario mapping than any single advisory team. This was paired with a broader ambition: to create shared analytical baselines that help bridge political and ideological divides, offering a clearer picture of global tensions and cooperation paths.
The dialogue was not uncritical. Delegates debated the implications of AI-enabled decision-making, including risks of misuse by authoritarian regimes, the challenge of maintaining information integrity, and the need for global governance structures that prevent escalation rather than accelerate it. Ethical stewardship, transparency, and accountability emerged as recurring themes.
Yet the summit’s most notable contribution may be its framing. Rather than positioning AI as a disruptive threat, the gathering treated it as a potential instrument of stability—one that, if deployed responsibly, could support more informed negotiations, early conflict detection, and greater diplomatic clarity. It marks a shift in how global leadership circles are approaching technology: less as an external variable and more as an integrated component of future diplomatic practice.
For institutions focused on long-term global trends, the Bridge Summit offers a glimpse into how diplomacy itself is being reimagined. The conversation is no longer solely about relations between states, but about how states will interact with powerful analytical systems that can shape understanding, strategy, and ultimately, international outcomes.
