The Geopolitics of AI-Driven Arms Races

Mohammad Eslami; Alena Vieira; Arshin  Adib-Moghaddam; Lauro Borges; Maria Papageorgiou; Fabio Cristiano; Ibrahim  Al- Marashi; Tom Sauer; Christian Kaunert

doi:10.1080/14650045.2025.2572695

The Geopolitics of AI-Driven Arms Races

Mohammad Eslami^*
, Alena Vieira
, Arshin Adib-Moghaddam
, Lauro Borges
, Maria Papageorgiou
, Fabio Cristiano
, Ibrahim Al- Marashi
, Tom Sauer
, Christian Kaunert

^*Corresponding author for this work

OGKG - History of International Relations

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Academic › peer-review

Abstract

This forum highlights the disruptive implications of AI for the geopolitical landscape by examining its integration into command-and-control systems, military doctrines, and global security discourses. These transformations are embedded in core debates on spatial power projection, supply chain control, technological sovereignty, shifting international alliances, and the changing geography of innovation hubs. AI-assisted arms races are thus understood not only as strategic phenomena between states, but also as drivers of spatial reconfiguration in the global security order. Challenging the reductive metaphor of a singular ‘AI arms race’, the forum conceptualises contemporary rivalries as overlapping, AI-assisted competitions that amplify key strategic domains such as nuclear deterrence, cyber warfare, and air warfare.

Original language	English
Number of pages	43
Journal	Geopolitics
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1080/14650045.2025.2572695
Publication status	E-pub ahead of print - 28 Oct 2025

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2025 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.

Funding

This work was supported by the Max Weber Program at the European University Institute; National Funds of the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) [UID/00758]; Research Centre in Political Science, University of Minho/University of Evora. Maria Papageorgiou's research; Leverhulme Trust; Czech Science Foundation [24-10160S].

Funders	Funder number
Max Weber Program at the European University Institute
National Funds of the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT)	UID/00758
Research Centre in Political Science, University of Minho/University of Evora
Leverhulme Trust
Czech Science Foundation	24-10160S

Access to Document

10.1080/14650045.2025.2572695

Cite this

@article{25d734ce95d94a6ca892e380ea2e6f38,

title = "The Geopolitics of AI-Driven Arms Races",

abstract = "This forum highlights the disruptive implications of AI for the geopolitical landscape by examining its integration into command-and-control systems, military doctrines, and global security discourses. These transformations are embedded in core debates on spatial power projection, supply chain control, technological sovereignty, shifting international alliances, and the changing geography of innovation hubs. AI-assisted arms races are thus understood not only as strategic phenomena between states, but also as drivers of spatial reconfiguration in the global security order. Challenging the reductive metaphor of a singular {\textquoteleft}AI arms race{\textquoteright}, the forum conceptualises contemporary rivalries as overlapping, AI-assisted competitions that amplify key strategic domains such as nuclear deterrence, cyber warfare, and air warfare. ",

author = "Mohammad Eslami and Alena Vieira and Arshin Adib-Moghaddam and Lauro Borges and Maria Papageorgiou and Fabio Cristiano and \{Al- Marashi\}, Ibrahim and Tom Sauer and Christian Kaunert",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2025 Taylor \& Francis Group, LLC.",

year = "2025",

month = oct,

day = "28",

doi = "10.1080/14650045.2025.2572695",

language = "English",

journal = "Geopolitics",

issn = "1465-0045",

publisher = "Routledge",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - The Geopolitics of AI-Driven Arms Races

AU - Eslami, Mohammad

AU - Vieira, Alena

AU - Adib-Moghaddam, Arshin

AU - Borges, Lauro

AU - Papageorgiou, Maria

AU - Cristiano, Fabio

AU - Al- Marashi, Ibrahim

AU - Sauer, Tom

AU - Kaunert, Christian

PY - 2025/10/28

Y1 - 2025/10/28

N2 - This forum highlights the disruptive implications of AI for the geopolitical landscape by examining its integration into command-and-control systems, military doctrines, and global security discourses. These transformations are embedded in core debates on spatial power projection, supply chain control, technological sovereignty, shifting international alliances, and the changing geography of innovation hubs. AI-assisted arms races are thus understood not only as strategic phenomena between states, but also as drivers of spatial reconfiguration in the global security order. Challenging the reductive metaphor of a singular ‘AI arms race’, the forum conceptualises contemporary rivalries as overlapping, AI-assisted competitions that amplify key strategic domains such as nuclear deterrence, cyber warfare, and air warfare.

AB - This forum highlights the disruptive implications of AI for the geopolitical landscape by examining its integration into command-and-control systems, military doctrines, and global security discourses. These transformations are embedded in core debates on spatial power projection, supply chain control, technological sovereignty, shifting international alliances, and the changing geography of innovation hubs. AI-assisted arms races are thus understood not only as strategic phenomena between states, but also as drivers of spatial reconfiguration in the global security order. Challenging the reductive metaphor of a singular ‘AI arms race’, the forum conceptualises contemporary rivalries as overlapping, AI-assisted competitions that amplify key strategic domains such as nuclear deterrence, cyber warfare, and air warfare.

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105020597655

U2 - 10.1080/14650045.2025.2572695

DO - 10.1080/14650045.2025.2572695

M3 - Article

SN - 1465-0045

JO - Geopolitics

JF - Geopolitics

ER -

The Geopolitics of AI-Driven Arms Races

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Funding

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Cite this