Abstract
The geopolitical innovation race is structured around four key dimensions: (1) pay-off structure, (2) actor networks, (3) motivation, and (4) social construction of technology that differentiate it from an 'arms race' and 'innovation race'. The term 'geopolitical innovation race' tries to capture current dynamics of tech governance. Border control is neither the most prominent nor publicly discussed field of AI application, but we still find that related EU politics reflect notions of a 'geopolitical innovation race'. From a technocratic, problem-solving perspective, border control represents just another 'context of use' of AI, neglecting that involved humans face impactful consequences of technology use. Characteristics of a geopolitical innovation race are notable in innovation projects for border control, illustrating a similar mode of politics across application contexts but with less ethical obligations to implement 'trustworthy AI' compared to commercial products.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Media of output | Border Criminologies Blog |
| Publisher | University of Oxford |
| Publication status | Published - 2025 |
| MoE publication type | D1 Article in a trade journal |