Action Brief – From Warfare to Peace building: Employing Artificial Intelligence for Women, Peace and Security

With increasing dependency on technology and a steadily rising number of Internet users across the Asia and the Pacific region, the stage for peacebuilding and security actors is changing. Artificial intelligence (AI) is becoming an integral element of information and communication technologies (ICTs), from everyday digital tools to military technologies. While AI offers innovative solutions to countless issues, it also carries pitfalls that, if left unaddressed, may have serious implications on gender equality and peace and security.

The COVID-19 pandemic has increased the extent to which women peacebuilders use ICTs and digital solutions to support their work. Although gender biases in these technologies hinder equal and safe online engagement, digital peacebuilding and online civic engagement are venues for increased opportunities for women peacebuilders to advance their work. Digital solutions will play important roles in several key peacebuilding areas. This brief outlines some of the challenges and opportunities that AI carries for the implementation of the Women, Peace and Security agenda in Southeast Asia.