The Hili Forum in Abu Dhabi (8–9 September 2025) highlighted how diplomacy is operating in a ‘beta’ mode: experimental, adaptive, and constantly tested in the face of shifting geopolitics, rising middle powers, and the growing voice of the Global South. The discussions underscored that legitimacy and effectiveness in governance increasingly depend on flexible, principled, and risk-aware diplomacy, and issue-based cross-border cooperation.

Mr Vladimir Radunovic, Diplo’s Director for Cybersecurity and E-diplomacy, joined the panel ‘Geneva vs Algorithms: Redefining Laws of War and Peace‘ — a conversation on how algorithmic systems and AI, diplomacy, and international law and norms collide in today’s shifting global security landscape.

AI emerged as a defining challenge for international peace and security. Risks extend beyond Lethal Autonomous Weapon Systems (LAWS) to decision-support, intelligence, disinformation, and cyber operations, where speed and opacity can outpace human oversight. At the same time, AI offers opportunities for conflict prevention, peacekeeping, and defence. 

Geneva’s ecosystem — from the CCW GGE LAWS and UNHRC to initiatives like the Geneva Dialogue on Responsible Behaviour in Cyberspace — provides a unique platform to translate principles into governance across the AI lifecycle. The Forum discussion made clear: keeping humans in control, embedding ethics and human rights by design into algorithms, and building diplomatic capacity to engage with emerging technologies will be essential for stability in the AI age.

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Related people: Vladimir Radunović