Louder than bombs: How mediation tech influences conflict

Beyond Bombs: Leveraging Technology for Global Peace and Mediation

Programme Director Sama’a Al-Hamdani opened the discussion by highlighting the increasing complexity and commonality of global conflicts. These conflicts often seem unending, leading to severe humanitarian crises, including displacement, discrimination, and limited access to healthcare. Over the last decade, advancements in technology and warfare have significantly reshaped these dynamics, often focusing on strategic advantages rather than fostering harmony.

Ms. Al-Hamdani emphasized that current technological principles are predominantly geared towards free and inclusive strategy support, rather than cultivating unity in the political world. She noted a significant increase in military investment in AI, projecting substantial growth. With over 110 armed conflicts globally, the need for peace is paramount. The true investment opportunity lies in fostering peace through care, empathy, and community.

Product Manager Jeba Sania then elaborated on how groundbreaking technological advancements offer solutions to improve the future of peace. She explained that artificial intelligence can transform behaviors, enabling rapid data analysis and predictive algorithms to forecast mediation outcomes. Furthermore, virtual reality can create immersive environments for cross-cultural understanding, while blockchain technology can establish trust between parties and governments.

Ms. Sania outlined best practices for maximizing the impact of peace technologies. This includes fostering cooperation and integrating local communities into the design process, as they possess crucial knowledge about obstacles and potential solutions. Collaborating with these communities and technology experts is essential to customize solutions and nurture agency, ensuring that technology serves as a supportive tool.

Key design principles for peace tech involve making solutions simple and user-friendly, especially for those in conflict zones. A strong focus on data privacy and content experience is vital to address distrust. Transparency about problems, without compromising content effectiveness, is also crucial. Data must be readable and protected, and technology should be designed as a resource point, not an additional burden.

The future of AI in peace tech requires continuous investment and learning from past experiences to translate insights into practical applications. It’s important to approach discovery with an understanding of potential problems and to use AI models to track success. Generating interest and incentives, particularly by highlighting the social impact, can attract talent and resources to peace-building initiatives.

To advance peace tech, Ms. Sania urged the encouragement of cultural innovation, the building of strong strategic partnerships, and securing funding for peace ventures. She stressed that peace tech is essential for everyone, protecting assets, ensuring market stability, and reducing the costs associated with conflict. Ultimately, peace tech aims to provide equitable, proper, and secure solutions for all.