Today's global society, quite complex and infinitely diverse, is experiencing a shake-up in all its constituent capillaries. It is not only being driven but increasingly, and faster, being dominated by the latest technological development, or more clearly by Artificial Intelligence. AI is profoundly revolutionizing all areas and sectors of the economy and our professional, social and private lives and is fundamentally overturning the traditional mindsets and experiences that have accompanied us for centuries. 

Its subversive influence also "threatens" diplomacy. Although it, due to the specifics it carries, represents one of the most consolidated, traditional and conservative institutions of the state's existence, it cannot remain outside the dizzying technological revolution that the whole world is experiencing today. The impact of AI cannot be overlooked nor considered mission impossible. On the contrary, diplomacy threatens to remain an obsolete and unnecessary institution, but this will depend, in particular, on how quickly it embraces this power, energy and magical power, how usefully we will know how to use it and all its advantages, but especially how attentive and open-minded governments and foreign ministries will be to support and guide their diplomats to behave not blindly, but wisely towards this new light, in their professional horizon. 

OpenAI's ChatGPT is a very advanced information model, where all the surprise, attention and interest has been focused, especially for its still untapped potential. This model can serve very well to reshape and reform current diplomatic practices and its communication and negotiation processes. 

Foreign ministries, being historical institutions, are generally characterized by rigid work routines and a tendency towards a communicative culture with priority on keeping information inside the fence. Therefore, diplomats often lack the proper training and consequently the reflexes and initiative to make the most of websites, blogs and social media, which constitute an open platform for the exchange and continuous updating of information and exchange. free of ideas. Moreover, diplomacy, as a profession still shrouded in a veil of secrecy and discretion, is incompatible with the deeply transparent norm of digital platforms. 

Therefore, a responsible government, a wise and experienced foreign minister and the diplomats in their circle need to prove as soon as possible that they are able to face the challenge of deep digitalization, successfully adapt and embrace new technologies, in the interest of the usefulness and effectiveness of the institution they represent and of the state they try to govern in today's global society. Otherwise, at best, they will remain at the tail end, dragging their feet and muttering tales from the enlightened past, or seeing disjointed dreams and visionary claptrap. 

Today there are several foreign ministries in the world that have opened virtual embassies and ambassadors, created social media empires spanning dozens of platforms, leveraged websites to communicate with the public online, created apps, created vibrant blogospheres and have mastered the rapid use of multiple data. 

Many diplomats, too, have removed, as much as necessary, the veil of discretion and, with professionalism and courage as well, have crossed the dangerous gap of blind obedience to only "like and share" the posts of their bosses, start live tweeting from meetings, diplomatic summits or from live broadcasts of UN discussions. Even these posts have turned out to be very interesting and quite successful, because they are fortunately stripped of the mask of political propaganda, populism and individual beneficial interest that characterizes the posts of their bosses, in these cases, to which the public shows, at least, indifference, not to say contempt to disgust.

Why not? This is a giant step for diplomacy and diplomats, for its very structure and extremely rigid and imposing hierarchy, often even practically more excessive than the military one.

What many foreign ministries are not yet willing to do, with due growth, is being done by a significant number of diplomats around the world who are beginning to grapple with this new digital invention - generative artificial intelligence (AI). The novelty is that in their efforts to adapt to this revolutionary technological revolution and of course to survive in completely new circumstances, they seem to have found the courage to fight with themselves, with their past, with the institution itself and its traditional structure. 

Therefore, it remains extremely important and urgent for real diplomats, as a chosen and representative class of nations, to understand how and how much AI-driven ChatGPT technologies are inevitably transforming diplomacy every day, despite her resisting stubbornness. 

In these conditions, they have to acquire the necessary theoretical knowledge to develop the skills in environments similar to those they will encounter in their professional life, to enable them to move easily but also with due professional care in real-life diplomatic environments and to encourage their active and successful participation in diplomatic, bilateral and multilateral activities. 

The intersection of AI and diplomacy is a must for everyone, regardless of experience and longevity or the shoulder pads diplomats carry. The practical application of ChatGPT in diplomatic activity is a unique perspective to exploit the countless spaces of technological development, to navigate without drowning in the vast sea of dynamics of diplomatic complications and communication techniques that surround it. The innovative ways of AI and ChatGPT technology seem to have helped, are helping and facilitating diplomatic practices in overcoming, successfully and in real time, the many diplomatic challenges. 

The ability to capitalize in diplomacy the tools and avenues that AI offers and to update knowledge with the speed of technological development will be a defining and decisive element for advancement in the real diplomatic career in the years to come. 

But not only that. Some recent diplomatic practices prove that during long, complex and difficult negotiations, the side that has used AI has had the advantage of receiving real-time information, advice and data on new details that have emerged during discussions. More specifically, IBM's Cognitive Trade Adviser has been proven to help negotiating teams at crucial moments by answering questions about international trade treaties that would normally take days or weeks to answer.

Not only that, but intelligent systems can help negotiating teams test different positions and scenarios in a very short amount of time. It is a fact that during the first round of nuclear negotiations with Iran, a team from the US Department of Energy built a replica of an Iranian nuclear facility to test any changes in Iranian nuclear development and enrichment (ref.Andre Moore) and in the future, using the AI system will be able to build similar scenarios and virtual experiments much faster and at a much lower cost.

It's no wonder that an American diplomat might ask ChatGPT in his preparation for trade talks with China; we wouldn't be surprised if a NATO diplomat asked for ChatGPT's help in gauging Russia's reaction if Ukraine were to receive an official invitation to join NATO, and I don't think it would hurt the pride of the Albanian negotiating team for determining the maritime border between Albania and Greece, however skilled they claim to be, if they were to consult with ChatGPT for details, international experiences, even possible variants of the correct use of the compass, on the map and from there in the sea. 

Through AI, diplomats can even analyse media coverage of negotiations and identify sensitive and contentious issues that may negatively impact mediation efforts during a critical negotiation, such as peace, civil wars, and demarcation of interstate borders. 

Today, diplomacy has the golden opportunity, as never before, to prepare for the challenges of the future and the surprises of the time. It, through the use of AI, will certainly create the necessary influence on public opinion and society, to build the bed and the right path, to extinguish the flames of a possible conflict or to alleviate and heal as soon as possible the wounds of the negative consequences. 

Therefore, the Danish Foreign Ministry, the US Department of State, the European Union have already opened embassies in Silicon Valley and have appointed "ambassador-at-large", in charge of establishing and strengthening relations with large high-tech companies. Nathaniel Fick, is the first American "ambassador-at-large" for cyberspace and digital policy. 

AI has all the potential to positively transform diplomacy into an institution with full capacity, significantly improving, in proposal, decision-making and policy-making. AI is an inexhaustible resource to help diplomacy, governments and states fulfil their mission in a transparent, reliable and accountable manner, for the benefit of the citizen and the future of global society. 

The start is equal for everyone, regardless of weight or size, geostrategic position or history, colours of the flag or skin. 

Only the will makes the difference.

Arben Cici 
Professor of International Relations 
Mediterranean University of Albania.