The Palgrave Handbook of Diplomacy and Society in the Age of Artificial Intelligence

This handbook provides a comprehensive and interdisciplinary examination of how artificial intelligence is transforming diplomacy, governance and the wider structures of society. Bringing together an international group of leading scholars, it maps the strategic, institutional, cultural, educational, economic and security implications of AI, offering an integrated framework for understanding technological change in the emerging technopolar world. The volume’s scope extends across both international and domestic spheres, revealing how AI redistributes global power, reshapes international order, alters diplomatic practice, and redefines major domains of social life including education, employment, media ecosystems, public discourse, cultural identity and national resilience. These themes are increasingly significant because AI now functions as a structuring force in world politics and societal transformation, influencing everything from international law and economic statecraft to learning systems, public opinion formation, crisis diplomacy and collective security. Although scholarship on AI has expanded rapidly, there remains no single handbook that synthesizes these diverse developments within a coherent, diplomacy and society centred analytical framework. The core problem this handbook addresses is the lack of an authoritative reference that captures AI’s simultaneous impact on global governance, diplomatic agency and societal evolution. Existing studies tend to illuminate individual sectors or policy challenges, yet a consolidated resource that brings together these intersecting transformations has been missing. This handbook fills that gap by providing conceptual foundations, comparative perspectives and policy-oriented insights that connect technological innovation with social change and international relations. The volume is designed for an international readership of scholars, graduate students, diplomats, policymakers, educators and professionals seeking a rigorous, interdisciplinary reference on how artificial intelligence is reshaping diplomacy and society.