Quarterly Journal of Governance Knowledge

Quarterly Journal of Governance Knowledge

The impact of emerging technologies on the formation of the digital order and Iran's position

Document Type : Review

Authors
1 Ph.D. in International Relation. University of Isfahan, Isfahan, Iran
2 Ph.D. in Futures Studies. National Research Institute for Science Policy (NRISP), Tehran, Iran
Abstract
The world is on the threshold of a new digital order in which the United States (US) is no longer the only important state actor. China has also succeeded in entering this new order as an influential player through competition in the procurement and development of new technologies. With this new order, however, new non-state actors such as GAMAM/GAFAM from the US and B.H.A.T.X from China have also entered the international system. The aim of this study is to map the emerging digital order and describe Iran’s position with regard to technological progress and the emergence of new players. The study uses a descriptive-analytical method to identify new actors and the technology policies of the US and China in shaping the new geopolitical order. The technology policies of the US and China and the chosen worldview of the major technology companies have led to the emergence of a new order in the digital dimension parallel to the physical world. Thus, with the increasing power of GAMAM and B.H.A.T.X, a new type of governance is emerging in the digital dimension with the control of data, infrastructure and new technologies. As a result of these changes, the concept of governance and order is no longer only reflected in the physical dimension. This issue may in turn affect the position of countries, including Iran, and make it an active or passive player in the international system. The research findings suggest that GAMAM and B.H.A.T.X can influence the position and power of the US and China in the future by changing their worldview from nationalism as an instrument of governments to globalization and techno-utopianism and the increasing advancement of technologies, especially artificial intelligence, and introduce themselves as new geopolitical actors.
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