Networking Session #26 Transforming Diplomacy for a Shared Tomorrow

Summary

This networking session focused on the transformative role of AI and AI-powered tools in modern diplomacy, hosted by the Data Innovation Lab of the German Federal Foreign Office. Sebastian Blum, the program manager, opened by explaining how AI is already reshaping diplomatic practices through enhanced capacity, predictive analytics, and comprehensive data processing capabilities. He emphasized that major foreign ministries are rapidly adopting AI technologies, making investment in AI capacity and data literacy essential for maintaining competitive diplomatic positions.

Claire Patzig, a junior data associate and computer scientist at the lab, presented the technical perspective on developing AI tools for diplomats. She stressed that their approach focuses on enriching rather than replacing human diplomatic work, recognizing diplomacy as a discipline with centuries of tradition involving sensitive government communications. Patzig outlined three current use cases: virtual embassies for public diplomacy in remote or politically challenging areas, negotiation tools for international conferences like COP summits, and capacity-building prototypes to train young diplomats in various scenarios.

The German approach involves establishing data labs across all federal ministries, creating a bottom-up technological development strategy tailored to specific user needs. This structure promotes collaboration while addressing interoperability challenges through peer-to-peer networks and shared projects with organizations like GIZ. The discussion highlighted the importance of cultural sensitivity, international partnerships, and responsible AI implementation in diplomatic contexts.

Questions from the audience addressed technical interoperability concerns and the potential for providing diplomatic training tools to underserved regions, particularly small island states in the Pacific where elected officials often lack formal diplomatic training. The session emphasized that successful AI integration in diplomacy requires continuous communication, respect for existing expertise, and focus on enhancing rather than replacing human diplomatic connections.

Keypoints

**Major Discussion Points:**

– **AI’s transformative role in diplomacy**: The discussion covers how AI tools are already reshaping diplomatic practices through NLP algorithms for processing diplomatic records, predictive analytics for geopolitical forecasting, and the urgent need for foreign ministries to adopt AI capabilities to remain competitive internationally.

– **Germany’s bottom-up approach to AI development**: The speakers explain Germany’s strategy of establishing data labs in every federal ministry to develop AI tools from the ground up, working directly with diplomats rather than imposing technology solutions, ensuring tools meet actual user needs and use cases.

– **Specific AI applications in diplomatic work**: Three concrete use cases are presented – virtual embassies for public diplomacy in remote or politically challenging areas, negotiation support tools for international processes like COP climate negotiations, and training systems for young diplomats to practice argumentation and decision-making.

– **Interoperability and collaboration challenges**: Discussion of technical and organizational challenges in ensuring different government AI systems can communicate effectively, the importance of peer-to-peer networks among data scientists, and the need for clear communication and respect between technical and diplomatic communities.

– **Capacity building for underserved regions**: A participant from the Cook Islands raises concerns about smaller nations lacking diplomatic training resources, highlighting the potential for AI tools to support countries with limited diplomatic education infrastructure.

**Overall Purpose:**

The discussion aims to showcase the German Federal Foreign Office’s Data Innovation Lab work in integrating AI into diplomatic practices, promote dialogue about responsible AI use in diplomacy, and explore partnerships for developing shared tools that can benefit the global diplomatic community.

**Overall Tone:**

The tone is collaborative and educational throughout, with speakers emphasizing partnership over competition. The presenters maintain a humble, service-oriented approach, repeatedly stressing that AI should enrich rather than replace human diplomatic work. The tone becomes more interactive and practical when addressing audience questions, particularly around technical interoperability and capacity building for developing nations, demonstrating genuine interest in inclusive solutions.

Speakers

– **Sebastian Blum**: Program manager at the Data Innovation Lab by the Federal Foreign Office, moderator for the session

– **Claire Patzig**: Junior data associate at the Data Innovation Lab by the Federal Republic of Germany from the FFO (Federal Foreign Office), computer scientist involved in developing software for diplomats

– **Audience**: Multiple audience members including:

– Tauga: Works with the German International cooperation agency (GIZ)

– Maureen Hilliard: From the Cook Islands, one of the small island states in the Pacific

Additional speakers:

None identified beyond those in the speakers names list.

# Report: AI-Powered Tools in Modern Diplomacy – A Networking Session by the German Federal Foreign Office Data Innovation Lab

## Executive Summary

This networking session, hosted by the Data Innovation Lab of the German Federal Foreign Office, explored the role of artificial intelligence in contemporary diplomatic practices. The discussion was moderated by Sebastian Blum (program manager) and featured Claire Patzig (Junior Data Associate and Computer Scientist). Originally planned as a panel with multiple government representatives, the session was restructured due to cancellations. The speakers examined how AI technologies are being integrated into diplomatic work while emphasizing human-centered development approaches and Germany’s bottom-up strategy for AI implementation across federal ministries.

## Opening Context and AI’s Role in Diplomacy

Sebastian Blum opened the session by establishing the context for AI adoption in diplomatic institutions. He outlined how AI tools are reshaping diplomatic practices through enhanced capacity via natural language processing, predictive analytics using historical and real-time data, and improved data processing capabilities for reporting and analysis.

Blum emphasized that major foreign ministries worldwide are adopting AI technologies, creating an environment where investment in AI capacity and data literacy has become important for maintaining effective diplomatic positions. He noted the competitive aspect of this technological adoption in the diplomatic landscape.

## Germany’s Human-Centered Approach

Claire Patzig provided insight into Germany’s approach to AI development in diplomatic contexts, emphasizing that their methodology focuses on enriching rather than replacing human diplomatic work. She stated: “It’s not about technology being arrogant and saying we can in any way replace human beings but instead it’s about enriching what we are currently already doing.”

Patzig acknowledged diplomacy as a discipline with centuries of accumulated expertise and stressed that technology development must understand the people it serves—diplomats who navigate complex international relationships through sophisticated communication strategies.

## Bottom-Up Development Strategy

The German approach involves establishing data labs across federal ministries, creating what Patzig described as a bottom-up technological development strategy. This decentralized structure ensures that AI tools are developed based on specific user needs and actual use cases rather than imposing top-down solutions.

Patzig mentioned that this approach involves collaboration between ministries and organizations such as the German International Cooperation Agency (GIZ), though she noted challenges in ensuring interoperability between different systems.

## Three Key Applications

Patzig outlined three applications currently being developed:

### Virtual Embassies

Digital platforms that provide services to citizens abroad and people wanting to learn about Germany in areas where physical embassies cannot operate due to various constraints. Patzig mentioned a “make-a-thon” involving students that focused on developing virtual embassy concepts.

### Negotiation Support Tools

AI systems designed to support diplomats during complex international negotiations, particularly in multi-stakeholder processes. Patzig noted they are “currently working together with other huge federal ministries and GIZ on a negotiation tool” for upcoming proceedings.

### Training Systems

AI-powered platforms to help diplomats develop skills through simulated scenarios and practice opportunities that would be difficult to replicate through traditional training methods.

## Technical and Implementation Challenges

The discussion addressed several challenges in implementing AI solutions within diplomatic contexts:

### Communication and Data Literacy

Patzig emphasized the importance of clear communication when introducing technical solutions to established diplomatic processes, noting the need to respect existing expertise while introducing technological enhancements.

### Evaluation Complexity

Unlike fields with clearly defined success metrics, Patzig noted that diplomatic AI applications face unique evaluation challenges: “If we are talking about diplomacy, we don’t have those clearly defined goals, right? It’s a very broad approach and here we really have to see how it actually can enhance diplomacy instead of big noise that just takes away from the human connection that is at the core of it.”

She contrasted this with medical applications like cancer detection, where accuracy can be clearly measured.

## International Collaboration and Capacity Building

Patzig discussed Germany’s commitment to international partnerships and mentioned plans for “open sourcing them and sort of levelling the playing field.” She emphasized the importance of avoiding complete dependency on single solutions and supporting shared values through international cooperation.

A significant moment came when Maureen Hilliard, representing the Cook Islands, raised concerns about capacity building needs in small island states. She explained that in Pacific island nations, government officials are often elected from small communities without formal diplomatic training: “People in the Pacific, the government is actually elected by the small communities, people that, you know, someone within the community, no experience whatsoever with government sort of processes… But there is no training.” Her question was cut off mid-sentence in the transcript.

## Responsible AI Implementation

Throughout the discussion, speakers emphasized principles for responsible AI implementation in diplomatic contexts, including cultural sensitivity and preservation of human connections in diplomacy. Patzig noted that diplomatic AI applications must respect diverse traditions and communication styles while enhancing rather than replacing human diplomatic capabilities.

She also mentioned considerations around sovereignty and European independence in AI development, though this topic was not extensively elaborated.

## Current AI Usage

Patzig mentioned that they have been “using large language models probably since [unclear – possibly ChatGPT] for about nine years now,” indicating ongoing experience with AI technologies in their work.

## Session Limitations and Conclusion

*Note: The transcript appears to have quality issues in several places, with repetitive sections and unclear audio. The session ended with an incomplete question from the audience member representing the Cook Islands.*

This networking session provided insight into Germany’s thoughtful approach to integrating AI technologies into diplomatic practice. The German Federal Foreign Office’s Data Innovation Lab presented a model that emphasizes enhancement rather than replacement of human capabilities, with focus on bottom-up development and international collaboration. However, several challenges remain unresolved, particularly regarding capacity building for underserved regions, interoperability between systems, and developing appropriate evaluation frameworks for diplomatic AI applications.

The discussion highlighted both the potential benefits of AI in diplomacy and the complexity of implementing such technologies in a field that relies fundamentally on human relationships and cultural understanding.

Sebastian Blum: So, welcome everyone to our networking session on transforming diplomacy for Shared Tomorrow. My name is Sebastian Blum. I’m a program manager at the Data Innovation Lab by the Federal Foreign Office and I’m more than excited to be your moderator for today’s session. As said before, this session is brought to you by the Data Innovation Lab and today we’re discussing a crucial topic which is the transformative force of AI and AI-powered tools in diplomacy. In this session we wanted to showcase some of the potential that AI and AI-powered tools bring in foreign policy and we initially wanted to offer a platform for open dialogue among different government representatives from different regions. As you can see, there have been some minor changes in the setting of the panel because we had some cancellations so we were actually thinking to focus a little bit more on the work of the Data Innovation Lab in the next following 25 minutes. Having said that, let me briefly set the stage a bit about how AI is actually already reshaping the practice of diplomacy and talk a bit about the changes in our work that we’re already witnessing at the Data Innovation Lab itself. So firstly, we can definitely see that AI tools amplify diplomatic capacity. For example, NLP algorithms can extract key insights and transform transcripts, meetings, minutes and other diplomatic records facilitating the creation of comprehensive and timely reports. Also the huge amount of data and AI holds a huge capacity for predictive analytics, for example by leveraging historical and real-time data to forecast geopolitical trends and potential outcomes for policy decisions. And lastly, we’re also already witnessing major foreign ministries racing ahead with AI adoption and this is definitely highlighting that the integration of AI for sure is urgent and vital and therefore investing in AI capacity and more importantly data literacy is not optional but necessary. AI diplomats may risk losing ground on the international forum. Having clarified this and with this context in mind, I would like to turn to our speaker and my dear colleague, Claire Patzig, who is a junior data associate at the Data Innovation Lab by the Federal Republic of Germany from the FFO and I’m really honored to have this exciting panel with you today and I would like to hand over but before a small procedural note like we’re having a short introduction by Claire with some inputs and afterwards also due to the circumstances we’re having this panel right now, we want to open the floor also to you to share your experiences and let some space for your questions. So Claire, the floor is yours. You might share some of the challenges and opportunities in integrating AI into diplomatic practices.

Claire Patzig: Thank you so much for the kind introduction. So I’m going to speak about this topic more from the view of a computer scientist and of someone who is actually developing the software our diplomats are supposed to use and therefore I want to really highlight that one thing is similar for every software development process. It’s about the people you are developing for and in this case we are talking about diplomats. The sheer practice of diplomacy is something we in the end of the day do every single person does that, right? We are negotiating every single day and in this case we are talking about discipline with lots of tradition and in this case we are also talking about something where governments are dealing with the most sensitive issues currently happening worldwide. It’s about core values of people and in this case it’s about communication. We are talking about something that people have hundreds of years of experience with and I mean on a large scale we are using large language models probably since JCPT for about nine years now. So it’s not about technology being arrogant and saying we can in any way replace human beings but instead it’s about enriching what we are currently already doing and I think this approach is really shown in the take that the German government has taken. So in this approach every German federal ministry has a data lab so it’s from the ground up so technology is really developed for the people who are actually using that and their use cases and so also the German Federal Foreign Office has a data lab and the data innovation lab serves to communicate those findings to the outside world, connect with other partners, this is why we are organizing this networking session, as well as developing also prototypes themselves. And therefore I want to bring you like three current use cases we are working on to really also showcase how rich diplomacy is. So we just had a make-a-thon last week with students on virtual embassies, here we are talking about public diplomacy so it’s not about the practice of diplomacy itself but rather it’s really about our citizens abroad as well as people in other countries who want to learn about Germany or maybe coming to Germany. And here we see as a use case that obviously we might have an embassy in the capital but there are remote areas where people might have issues traveling to the capital for an embassy so we are really thinking about the system of virtual embassies where we might be able to offer our services in countries where we might not even have due to the current political environment or natural catastrophes being able to open an embassy and now we might be able to provide the service still to those people. And then if you look at the practice of diplomacy, right, we are really looking at negotiations at the heart of it and so we had a huge challenge last year on developing tools, really supporting diplomats and here really again focusing on working with diplomats instead of just working for them and currently we are working together with other huge federal ministries as well as the GIZ on developing a negotiation tool for the upcoming COP and here it’s also about sort of providing a service not only for Germany but open sourcing them and sort of leveling the playing field. I mean, most of the people in this room might be following the WSIS process and just following this one process, right, and keeping an eye on everything that is going on or the other institutions publishing on that just what the UN with reports is putting out is a lot and if you look at governments, they are obviously forced to sort of follow everything that is going on and even for somewhat large countries like Germany, this is a lot and here we really see a use case for AI again in sort of combining all of that knowledge and really making it easier for diplomats to stay ahead with everything. And last but not least, it’s also about capacity building. So obviously our academy knows what they are doing but still sort of supporting young diplomats in their journey is something where you really need individual support and we are currently developing, I’m doing that myself, a prototype really to drain young diplomats to sort of bring them in lots of many different situations, being able to come up fast with arguments and here we really think that this is again a use case that is interesting to every ministry of foreign affairs globally and where we again really want to stress working together and coming up with tools that really support each other. So here it’s really about having you as an audience also reaching out to us, sharing maybe what you are working on and really have some interactive dialogue.

Sebastian Blum: Well, thank you so much. I think you really were drawing to this point that the Data Innovation Lab itself was actually resulting out of the Data and AI Lab by the Federal Foreign Office. But drawing a little bit back to that, you were also referring to some different partnerships and initiatives. What do you think such initiatives as the Data Innovation Lab, how do they help to promote the responsible use of AI in diplomacy?

Claire Patzig: I think the responsible use here is that we are not talking about something like, for example, cancer detection, right? We can benchmark that and say we have an accuracy of about, I don’t know, 98%. If we are talking about diplomacy, we don’t have those clearly defined goals, right? It’s a very broad approach and here we really have to see how it actually can enhance diplomacy instead of big noise that just takes away from the human connection that is at the core of it. And there again, it’s about cultural sensitivity, right, like German diplomats might have a different focus than other parts of the world. And again, we learn from shared partnerships in this area because it’s about the practice, not really about the content, whatever negotiation, whether it’s climate or peace or whatever. It’s not about that. is the co-founder and co-creator of the AI and Diplomacy Lab. It’s not just about AI, it’s about the discipline and learning from each other again.

Sebastian Blum: Thank you so much. Having said that, I would really like to hand over to the floor as well to our online participants. Feel free to ask any questions to us about the Data Innovation Lab. The floor is yours to ask any questions to us about the Data Innovation Lab. We’re also very happy to have you here to talk about AI in the field of AI and diplomacy, and you’re also invited to present yourself, so the floor is yours. We’re also checking, of course, the online participants, so if there’s any question by our online audience, you’re also invited to present yourself. And we’re also happy to have you here to talk about AI in the field of AI and diplomacy. So, please, feel free to ask any questions. Thank you. And we’re also happy to have you here to talk about AI in the field of AI and diplomacy. So, please, feel free to ask any questions. And we’re also very happy to have you here to talk about AI in the field of AI and diplomacy. So, please, feel free to ask any questions. So, please, feel free to ask any questions. And we’re also happy to have you here to talk about AI in the field of AI and diplomacy. So, please, feel free to ask any questions. And we’re also happy to have you here to talk about AI in the field of AI and diplomacy. So, please, feel free to ask any questions. Please, feel free to ask any questions. U in May, we had a timed meeting mentioned spaces for AI, and we hosted a data talk. So, we are not only focussed on developing tools, but also soft aspects of that. So, integrating is possible. We do that in workshops, to embassies, partners worldwide, and being present in conferences, as well as inviting amazing speakers to our data talks. We also try to include people from different areas.

Claire Patzig: So, we try to make sure that the data talks aren’t maybe connected only to certain countries. And we are able to host ourselves. And we try to take that in account in our own work. And then, again, it’s about partnerships, right. About even, right, we are currently hearing a lot about sovereignty and about Europe being sovereign itself. And I think that’s a very important thing, because we are talking about the fact that the Internet doesn’t exist on its own just in one nation, right. We are at the Internet Governance Forum. We are talking about so deep interconnections. We have to take that into account and be realistic about what we are developing. And in some cases, if it’s not about something very sensitive, we can also still, obviously, work with other partners and not have to do everything on our own. So, I think that’s a very important thing, because we are talking about the fact that there are many countries and many ministries of foreign affairs that might still not have the capacities to develop tools themselves. And there again, I think it’s the same point again and again. We are coming back to partnerships, countries that support the same values and developing together. And obviously, we have a dependency, but that’s something that’s important, that is enrichment to what we are building.

Sebastian Blum: Thank you very much. Pose is the next slide.

Audience: Hi, my name is Tauga, I work with the German International cooperation agency. And previously, you told us that basically every German ministry has its own data lab. And I mean, we’re a government owned company in Germany, we also have our data lab, we also work on solutions like this. So what I’m interested in is how do you look at the issue of interoperability in such a bottom up approach from the technical perspective? How do you ensure that all these solutions that are being developed are able to communicate with each other and to link up even to the rest of the world? Thank you.

Claire Patzig: Yes, so there we are coming back again to plane, this was really the point to make it easier for also data labs to share data within government and to work together. We see that there is a peer to peer network established so that our data scientists are able to communicate and discuss what they are currently focusing on. Then again, I think for, I mean, we have within the government a new ministry, this will always be an issue that you constantly have to work on. And I think there’s lots that you can do in that regard. But for example, together with GIZ and for other ministries, we are currently working together on one shared project. And that’s just about discussing clear responsibilities, having everyone on board. And then with a shared goal in mind, it’s obviously very much possible to work together because we have one single focus. And here I think we also see especially as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, because we are not solely focused on one issue, but we are covering many, many topics. And therefore, we are used to working together with other ministries and the experts working on those topics. So it’s bringing that into the digital sphere and also to our data scientists as a mindset. So that is, I think, very important to us as government.

Sebastian Blum: I think this was also particularly interesting because we were also talking more about the technological aspects. But what are the organizational challenges in our work that you’re witnessing coming out from a really specific position also inside of the organization of the Federal Foreign Office?

Claire Patzig: Yeah. I think it’s about clearly, it’s about always the same thing. It’s about communication. And clearly communicating as maybe the more technical community, respect for the work that is already happening. It’s not about, again, replacing anything that’s going on, but enriching. And at the same time, obviously, people have lots of experience and they know what they are doing. So you have to adapt to new processes. I think something everyone struggles with in all areas, for example, is how you sort of collect data to have that in a format that works for the technical community, but that might not be relevant for the people who are currently working as experts on those topics. And there it’s about capacity building and about data literacy and just coming back to the basics again and again. Yeah.

Sebastian Blum: Thank you so much. I see we have another question on the floor. You just can talk into the microphone. Hi. Is it on? Yeah, it is on. We can hear you clearly.

Audience: My name is Maureen Hilliard. I’m actually from an underserved region. I’m from the Cook Islands, one of the small island states in the Pacific. And one of the things that I’ve actually sort of like found in the 20 years that I’ve lived on that little island is that, you know, like, I mean, we would be really appreciative of developing tools of development for new diplomats. I mean, people in the Pacific, the government is actually elected by the small communities, people that, you know, someone within the community, no experience whatsoever with government sort of processes and things like that. But, you know, there seem to be nice people, so they get elected to government. But there is no training. I do know there’s no training for the whole diplomacy school. It’s the sort of schools that many of these people sort of like get sent overseas to work with other sort of like ministries in their area. And I was just wondering, does your hub, does it provide sort of like training facilities for, you know, underserved regions where government officials have, you know, like really do require those schools be really, really important? I mean, I sit and listen, I mean, when I sort of like think of how wonderful some of the governments are and the work that they’re doing, you know, like I know that our guys go

Agreement points

AI should enhance rather than replace human diplomatic capabilities

Speakers

– Sebastian Blum
– Claire Patzig

Arguments

AI tools amplify diplomatic capacity through NLP algorithms that extract insights from diplomatic records and facilitate comprehensive reporting

AI should enrich existing diplomatic practices rather than replace human beings, focusing on supporting people with hundreds of years of diplomatic experience

Summary

Both speakers agree that AI’s role in diplomacy should be to augment and support human diplomatic work rather than substitute for human judgment and expertise. They emphasize that AI tools should amplify existing capabilities while respecting the traditional knowledge and experience of diplomatic professionals.

Topics

Development | Capacity development

Urgent need for AI adoption and capacity building in diplomatic institutions

Speakers

– Sebastian Blum
– Claire Patzig

Arguments

Major foreign ministries are racing to adopt AI, making investment in AI capacity and data literacy necessary to avoid losing ground internationally

Data collection and formatting present ongoing challenges requiring capacity building and data literacy training

Summary

Both speakers recognize the critical importance of building AI capabilities and data literacy within diplomatic organizations. They agree that this is not optional but necessary for maintaining competitive diplomatic effectiveness.

Topics

Development | Capacity development

Importance of partnerships and collaboration in AI development for diplomacy

Speakers

– Sebastian Blum
– Claire Patzig

Arguments

AI enables predictive analytics by leveraging historical and real-time data to forecast geopolitical trends and policy outcomes

International partnerships are essential for developing tools that support shared values while avoiding complete dependency on single solutions

Summary

Both speakers emphasize the collaborative nature of diplomatic AI development, recognizing that partnerships are essential for creating effective tools while maintaining sovereignty and shared values.

Topics

Development | Infrastructure

Similar viewpoints

Both speakers share a user-centered approach to AI development in diplomacy, emphasizing that technology must be designed with deep understanding of diplomatic professionals’ needs and the sensitive nature of their work.

Speakers

– Sebastian Blum
– Claire Patzig

Arguments

AI tools amplify diplomatic capacity through NLP algorithms that extract insights from diplomatic records and facilitate comprehensive reporting

Technology development must be grounded in understanding the people it serves – diplomats who deal with sensitive issues and core values through communication

Topics

Development | Capacity development

Both recognize the critical need for diplomatic training and capacity building, particularly for new or inexperienced government officials, and see AI as a potential solution to address training gaps.

Speakers

– Claire Patzig
– Audience

Arguments

AI can assist in capacity building by training young diplomats through simulated scenarios to develop quick argumentation skills

There is significant need for diplomatic training tools in underserved regions where government officials lack formal diplomatic education

Topics

Development | Capacity development | Digital access

Unexpected consensus

Bottom-up approach to AI development in government

Speakers

– Sebastian Blum
– Claire Patzig

Arguments

Major foreign ministries are racing to adopt AI, making investment in AI capacity and data literacy necessary to avoid losing ground internationally

The German approach involves every federal ministry having a data lab to develop technology from the ground up for actual users and their specific use cases

Explanation

Despite the competitive pressure for rapid AI adoption that Sebastian mentions, both speakers surprisingly agree on a methodical, decentralized approach where each ministry develops its own solutions. This consensus on taking time for proper, user-centered development despite competitive pressures is unexpected.

Topics

Development | Infrastructure

Cultural sensitivity and respect for traditional diplomatic practices

Speakers

– Sebastian Blum
– Claire Patzig

Arguments

AI enables predictive analytics by leveraging historical and real-time data to forecast geopolitical trends and policy outcomes

Responsible AI use in diplomacy requires focusing on enhancing human connection rather than replacing it, considering cultural sensitivity across different regions

Explanation

While Sebastian focuses on the technical capabilities and competitive advantages of AI, there’s unexpected consensus with Claire’s emphasis on cultural sensitivity and preserving human connections. This shows alignment between technical advancement and humanistic values.

Topics

Human rights | Cultural diversity | Development

Overall assessment

Summary

The speakers demonstrate strong consensus on fundamental principles: AI should augment rather than replace human diplomatic capabilities, capacity building is essential, partnerships are crucial for development, and user-centered design must guide implementation. There’s also agreement on practical applications like training tools and the need for cultural sensitivity.

Consensus level

High level of consensus with significant implications for diplomatic AI development. The agreement suggests a mature, thoughtful approach to AI integration that balances technological advancement with respect for diplomatic tradition and human expertise. This consensus could facilitate more coordinated international efforts in developing responsible AI tools for diplomacy.

Different viewpoints

Unexpected differences

Overall assessment

Summary

The discussion shows minimal disagreement, with speakers generally aligned on AI’s role in diplomacy. The main difference lies in emphasis rather than fundamental disagreement – Sebastian focuses more on AI’s transformative potential and competitive necessity, while Claire emphasizes human-centered development and respect for existing diplomatic expertise.

Disagreement level

Very low level of disagreement. This was a collaborative presentation rather than a debate, with speakers complementing each other’s perspectives. The slight difference in emphasis (technological capabilities vs. human-centered approach) actually strengthens their overall argument for responsible AI implementation in diplomacy. The audience question about training needs for underserved regions was supportive rather than challenging, indicating broad consensus on the topic’s importance.

Partial agreements

Similar viewpoints

Both speakers share a user-centered approach to AI development in diplomacy, emphasizing that technology must be designed with deep understanding of diplomatic professionals’ needs and the sensitive nature of their work.

Speakers

– Sebastian Blum
– Claire Patzig

Arguments

AI tools amplify diplomatic capacity through NLP algorithms that extract insights from diplomatic records and facilitate comprehensive reporting

Technology development must be grounded in understanding the people it serves – diplomats who deal with sensitive issues and core values through communication

Topics

Development | Capacity development

Both recognize the critical need for diplomatic training and capacity building, particularly for new or inexperienced government officials, and see AI as a potential solution to address training gaps.

Speakers

– Claire Patzig
– Audience

Arguments

AI can assist in capacity building by training young diplomats through simulated scenarios to develop quick argumentation skills

There is significant need for diplomatic training tools in underserved regions where government officials lack formal diplomatic education

Topics

Development | Capacity development | Digital access

Key takeaways

AI should augment rather than replace human diplomatic expertise, focusing on enriching existing practices while respecting the traditional discipline of diplomacy

Germany’s bottom-up approach with data labs in every federal ministry enables technology development tailored to specific user needs and use cases

Three key AI applications in diplomacy are emerging: virtual embassies for underserved regions, negotiation support tools for international processes like COP, and capacity building through simulated training scenarios

International partnerships and open-source development are essential for creating equitable AI tools that serve countries with varying technological capacities

Responsible AI implementation requires cultural sensitivity, clear communication between technical and diplomatic communities, and focus on enhancing human connection

Data literacy and capacity building are fundamental organizational challenges that must be addressed alongside technical development

Resolutions and action items

Continue developing the negotiation tool for upcoming COP in collaboration with other federal ministries and GIZ

Open-source AI tools to level the playing field for countries with limited technological resources

Maintain peer-to-peer networks among data scientists across German federal ministries to facilitate communication and collaboration

Provide workshops and training to embassies and international partners on AI integration

Encourage audience members to reach out and share their own AI development work for collaborative dialogue

Unresolved issues

How to effectively address the training needs of underserved regions like small island states where government officials lack formal diplomatic education

Technical interoperability challenges between different data labs and AI systems across ministries and international partners

Specific methods for collecting and formatting data that works for both technical communities and diplomatic experts

Balancing national sovereignty concerns with the need for international collaboration in AI development

Defining clear benchmarks for success in diplomatic AI applications, unlike more measurable fields like medical diagnosis

Suggested compromises

Work with partners on non-sensitive applications while maintaining sovereignty over critical diplomatic tools

Accept some level of dependency on international partnerships as enrichment rather than weakness, particularly for countries lacking development capacity

Adapt existing diplomatic processes to accommodate new data collection requirements while respecting traditional expertise

Focus on shared values and common practices in diplomacy rather than content-specific applications to enable broader international collaboration

It’s not about technology being arrogant and saying we can in any way replace human beings but instead it’s about enriching what we are currently already doing… We are talking about something that people have hundreds of years of experience with and I mean on a large scale we are using large language models probably since JCPT for about nine years now.

Speaker

Claire Patzig

Reason

This comment is insightful because it reframes the entire AI-diplomacy discussion by emphasizing humility and augmentation rather than replacement. It acknowledges the deep historical tradition of diplomacy while contextualizing AI as a relatively new tool that should complement rather than compete with human expertise.

Impact

This comment established the philosophical foundation for the entire discussion, shifting the conversation away from potential fears about AI replacing diplomats to a more collaborative framework. It set the tone for all subsequent discussions about practical applications and partnerships.

If we are talking about diplomacy, we don’t have those clearly defined goals, right? It’s a very broad approach and here we really have to see how it actually can enhance diplomacy instead of big noise that just takes away from the human connection that is at the core of it.

Speaker

Claire Patzig

Reason

This observation is particularly thought-provoking because it highlights a fundamental challenge in applying AI to diplomacy – the lack of clear, measurable outcomes unlike in fields like medical diagnosis. It emphasizes that diplomatic success cannot be easily quantified and that human connection remains central.

Impact

This comment deepened the technical discussion by introducing the complexity of evaluation metrics in diplomatic contexts. It led Sebastian to probe further about responsible AI use and shifted the conversation toward the nuanced challenges of implementing AI in inherently human-centered fields.

How do you look at the issue of interoperability in such a bottom up approach from the technical perspective? How do you ensure that all these solutions that are being developed are able to communicate with each other and to link up even to the rest of the world?

Speaker

Tauga (GIZ representative)

Reason

This question is insightful because it identifies a critical systemic challenge that wasn’t previously addressed – the risk of creating isolated solutions in a bottom-up approach. It demonstrates sophisticated understanding of both technical and organizational challenges in government digitalization.

Impact

This question significantly shifted the discussion from theoretical applications to practical implementation challenges. It forced the speakers to address real-world coordination problems and led to a more detailed explanation of inter-ministerial collaboration mechanisms.

People in the Pacific, the government is actually elected by the small communities, people that, you know, someone within the community, no experience whatsoever with government sort of processes… But there is no training. I do know there’s no training for the whole diplomacy school.

Speaker

Maureen Hilliard (Cook Islands representative)

Reason

This comment is profoundly thought-provoking because it introduces a completely different perspective on diplomatic capacity building – the reality of small island states where community members become diplomats without formal training. It highlights the global inequality in diplomatic resources and training.

Impact

This comment fundamentally broadened the scope of the discussion from developed country AI implementation to global diplomatic capacity building. It challenged the implicit assumptions about diplomatic training and resources, though the transcript cuts off before showing the full response and impact.

We are currently working together with other huge federal ministries as well as the GIZ on developing a negotiation tool for the upcoming COP and here it’s also about sort of providing a service not only for Germany but open sourcing them and sort of leveling the playing field.

Speaker

Claire Patzig

Reason

This comment is insightful because it reveals a strategic approach to AI diplomacy that goes beyond national advantage to global capacity building. The concept of ‘leveling the playing field’ through open-source diplomatic tools represents a significant philosophical stance on international cooperation.

Impact

This comment introduced the theme of international cooperation and equity in AI diplomatic tools, setting up the later discussion about partnerships and the eventual question from the Cook Islands representative about capacity building for underserved regions.

Overall assessment

These key comments shaped the discussion by establishing a collaborative, human-centered framework for AI in diplomacy while progressively expanding the scope from technical implementation to global equity concerns. Claire Patzig’s philosophical grounding prevented the discussion from becoming overly technocratic, while the audience questions from Tauga and Maureen Hilliard introduced crucial practical and equity dimensions that challenged the speakers to think beyond their immediate context. The progression from theory to technical challenges to global capacity building created a comprehensive exploration of AI diplomacy that acknowledged both opportunities and systemic inequalities. The discussion evolved from a presentation format to a more interactive dialogue that revealed the complexity of implementing AI solutions in diverse diplomatic contexts worldwide.

How do you ensure interoperability between different data labs’ solutions from a technical perspective?

Speaker

Tauga (German International Cooperation Agency)

Explanation

This addresses a critical technical challenge in Germany’s bottom-up approach where every ministry has its own data lab, requiring solutions to communicate and link with each other and globally

What are the organizational challenges in implementing AI tools within the Federal Foreign Office structure?

Speaker

Sebastian Blum

Explanation

Understanding internal organizational barriers is crucial for successful AI integration in diplomatic institutions beyond just technological considerations

Does the Data Innovation Lab provide training facilities for underserved regions where government officials lack diplomatic training?

Speaker

Maureen Hilliard (Cook Islands)

Explanation

This highlights the capacity building needs of small island states and underserved regions whose elected officials often lack formal diplomatic training or experience

How to effectively collect and format data that works for technical communities while remaining relevant for subject matter experts?

Speaker

Claire Patzig

Explanation

This represents a fundamental challenge in bridging the gap between technical requirements for AI systems and the practical needs of diplomatic practitioners

How to balance AI sovereignty concerns with international partnerships in diplomatic AI tool development?

Speaker

Claire Patzig

Explanation

This addresses the tension between national/regional AI sovereignty and the interconnected nature of diplomacy that requires international collaboration

How to measure success and define clear goals for AI applications in diplomacy unlike other fields with benchmarkable outcomes?

Speaker

Claire Patzig

Explanation

Unlike medical AI with clear accuracy metrics, diplomatic AI applications lack clearly defined success criteria, making evaluation and improvement challenging