Title: Artificial intelligence, international relations and European law

Authors: Massimo Franchi

Addresses: Department of Law, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, via San Geminiano, 3, 41121, Modena, Italy

Abstract: The technological revolution based on Artificial Intelligence will open a new era in daily life, organisations, and relations among states. This change will also affect the decision-making process and leaders who will certainly be supported by artificial intelligence if not replaced in part of their work in the future. In this scenario, some large countries, the USA and China in particular, will lead the 'new golden age' by proposing the systems of their multinational companies to allied states thus governing the phenomenon. These new dynamics will have disruptive geopolitical impacts and will allow them economic supremacy in the coming years, with a strong influence on international relations and a probable division of the world into blocks of technological allies. These are new phenomena humanity has never faced before and that have never been regulated. International and European Union law do not seem to be adequate despite some regulatory measures that have already come into force.

Keywords: artificial intelligence; decision-making process; market; geopolitics; strategy; foreign affairs; law; geoeconomics; human rights; spheres of influence.

DOI: 10.1504/IJAIGHR.2026.152902

International Journal of Artificial Intelligence Governance and Human Rights, 2026 Vol.1 No.1, pp.44 - 58

Received: 06 Mar 2025
Accepted: 29 Apr 2025
Published online: 14 Apr 2026 *