The Geopolitics of Artificial Intelligence : A Comparative Policy Analysis of French and Chinese Artificial Intelligence Policy Discourse

Sammanfattning: Artificial Intelligence has become one of the most pressing, discussed, researched and focused upon topics over the past several years. Recently this has extended into fields such as political science with matters such as the relationship between Artificial Intelligence and States. This research paper is also interested in the relationship between AI and states through studying the policy discourse surrounding Artificial Intelligence produced by China and France with a specific focus on the geopolitical aspect of the policies. Due to that this study is interested in analyzing policy and policy discourse the ‘What’s the Problem Represented to be?’ (WPR) methodological approach was utilized as it allows for the identification of how France and China problematize Artificial Intelligence, the underlying assumptions and the discursive effects. Moreover, as this study is interested in geopolitics, the theoretical frameworks of Liberalism and Realism were applied in the analysis in conjunction with the WPR approach to extract, interpret and analyze information from the French and Chinese AI strategies. From the use of the WPR methodology and the Liberal and Realist frameworks it was determined that the Chinese and French political discourse was similar and different in significant and important ways. The discourse of both states is characterized by realist understandings of the international system particularly in the interpretation of global competition over AI taking place between states; the threat that the competition as well as other states pose towards their respective sovereignty and national security; and the need for an increase in AI power to combat the threat that other states AI capabilities poses towards them. Where they differ is the French inclusion of the European Union within the problematization discourse and the more Liberal understanding of the importance of international organizations in protecting states external sovereignty and the interconnectedness between states and international organizations.  Key words: Artificial Intelligence, Policy, Geopolitics, France, China, Realism, Liberalism