Adapting to Shifts in the Global Order and the Evolution of Artificial Intelligence

The current shift in the global order is real, marked by two facts. First, the increasing existence of China as a major world power influencing global geopolitics and the economy. The second fact is a reduction in the hegemony of the United States (US). The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), a military alliance that throughout its history has tended to be commanded by the US since its founding in April 1949, is experiencing internal divisions. The stance and position of other NATO members who refuse the US invitation to join in fighting Iran has worsened the dynamics within the alliance. The disharmony within NATO has generated a spirit in Western Europe to build independence in the defence sector. Western Europe even appears to be isolating the US following the controversy over Greenland. Moreover, the US is exhibiting extreme protectionist behaviour in trade relations with many countries, even with its neighbours and all of its closest allies. These days, as the world continues to be shrouded in uncertainty due to wars and armed conflicts in several regions, China appears increasingly powerful. The international community has been presented with the fact that many national leaders from various regions of the world, including US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, have visited President Xi Jinping in Beijing. In the context of Indonesia and ASEAN, such a shift in the global order certainly deserves careful study because it relates to the complex issue of the South China Sea, which intersects with and borders the Natuna Sea in the Riau Islands. The fact of this changing global order inevitably acts as a push for many countries to adapt. The many national leaders who have recently visited Beijing to meet President Xi are part of this adaptation process. The series of meetings between state leaders and Chinese leaders certainly discussed issues surrounding geopolitics and the economy, including technology and energy. Their talks essentially focused on building mutual understanding and mutually beneficial cooperation. In this context, input tinged with complaints from the Chinese business community towards Indonesia should be addressed with wisdom. They suggest that the Indonesian bureaucracy improve and enhance the effectiveness and quality of public services. As is widely known, not long ago, the China Chamber of Commerce in Indonesia (CCCI) sent a letter to President Prabowo Subianto. They conveyed complaints about various obstacles stemming from the bureaucracy in Indonesia. Besides the urgency of understanding and addressing these global order changes, it is also necessary to cultivate a collective awareness that the era of disruption is continuing. While many communities have not finished adapting to the digitalisation era that marked massive and fundamental changes in altering various systems, orders, and ways of human life, the era of disruption persists with the utilisation of AI or artificial intelligence in various aspects of life. The digitalisation era, which has now transformed and entered the AI era, should be seen as a necessity reflecting the development of civilisation. These developments urge changes in various aspects of life. As is well understood, every change always presents consequences. Besides positive consequences, changes that are not prepared comprehensively always present negative nuances. Digitalisation as a conversion process that turns information into a digital format creates the automation of tasks or work mechanisms previously commonly performed by humans. The fact that this automation eliminates the human role in many jobs is common knowledge. From administrative work in office spaces to public services at counters, they no longer rely on human labour and intelligence. Now, civilisation has transformed into an era of AI utilisation in several aspects of human life. Artificial intelligence is understood as the engineering of machines to process data so they can replace the role and intelligence of humans. The results of this data processing include automated task commands, data analysis, and finding solutions to a number of complex problems. Artificial intelligence, which continues to evolve, has even now changed the way humans work and learn, including changing the way governments and corporate management operate. The most extreme development in the evolution of AI today is its utilisation for lethal autonomous weapons systems (LAWS). These war machines with artificial intelligence technology can independently select, identify, and attack targets without human intervention or role. From ethical and moral aspects, autonomous weapons are problematic because of fears they may fail to distinguish between soldiers on the battlefield and civilian residents. Even though it eliminates many human roles in the world of work, the widespread use of AI is claimed to create millions of new functions and roles for the working community. For example, as data specialists, AI analysts, and prompt engineers—a profession that relies on the skill of designing structured instructions (prompts) for AI systems. It is certain that entering the job market in the AI era requires adaptation, including preparation for the current young generation through educational curricula. Perhaps, because the widespread use of AI was not socialised beforehand, a portion of the workforce in many countries has not been prepared properly. Therefore, even though the expanding use of AI promises millions of new jobs, a bubble of unemployment is inevitable, including in a number of developed countries whose daily lives are already familiar with AI. The changing global order and the evolution of artificial intelligence, whose utilisation is increasingly widespread, should foster collective awareness of the urgency to adapt. For the sake of national independence and resilience, a refreshment and renewal of the nation-state’s vision is necessary to face every stage of change.