MIT AI Risk Repository · Risk Category · 68.06.00
Geopolitical risk
Description
"As AI is increasingly seen as a powerful technology, countries are racing to develop it ahead of their geopolitical rivals, a competition that could lead to geopolitical tensions [138], [139]... The emphasis of this risk is on harms that result from second-order effects, where geopolitical instabilities result from the race to develop AI, rather than on the direct consequences of the deployment or use of AI itself."
From Dimensional Characterization and Pathway Modeling for Catastrophic AI Risks (Chin2025), as extracted by the MIT AI Risk Repository (CC BY 4.0).
Classification
- Subdomain
- 6.4 Competitive dynamics
- Causal entity
- Other
- Intent
- Unintentional
- Timing
- Other
Subdomain definition: AI developers or state-like actors competing in an AI ‘race’ by rapidly developing, deploying, and applying AI systems to maximize strategic or economic advantage, increasing the risk they release unsafe and error-prone systems.
Real-world incidents in this subdomain
- Korean Internet Portal Giant Naver Manipulated Shopping and Video Search Algorithms to Favor In-House Services
- Apple Tweaked App Store Ranking Algorithms, Allegedly Resulted in Demotion of Local Apps in China
- Inefficiencies in the United States Resident Matching Program