Algorithmic Power and the Epistemic Transformation of International Relations in the Age of Generative AI

The rapid development of generative artificial intelligence is reshaping the process and way information is generated and spread in global politics, thus posing significant questions for international relations theory. Although traditional theories remain effective in the analysis of strategic competition, governance, and security, they are inadequate in dealing with the epistemic effects of knowledge generated through algorithmic means. In this article, the idea of algorithmic power is introduced as the ability to shape perceptions, knowledge, and political outcomes through the generation and mediation of information by algorithmic systems. Through the application of digital constructivism, Science and Technology Studies, and post-humanism, the paper presents a conceptual framework for the relationship between technological infrastructure, algorithmic mediation, and epistemic change to political and security effects. In this paper, it is argued that generative AI reconfigures the construction of visibility, credibility, and narratives in international relations, thus affecting information warfare and cognitive security. In addition, the paper presents the findings from an exploratory survey among students of international relations and political science, which reveals a growing awareness of deep fake technologies, informational uncertainty, and the possible theoretical implications of AI. In conclusion, it is argued that algorithmic systems are an emerging dimension of international influence alongside military and economic power, and algorithmic power is a vital concept for the analysis of global politics.