ROLE OF EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES IN THE INDOPACIFIC AN ASSESSMENT OF THE QUADRILATERAL SECURITY INITIATIVE AND AUKUS

The Indo-Pacific region has emerged as the epicenter of the geopolitical rivalry between the US and China. The race for developing critical emerging technologies has arisen as the latest frontier of this competition with far-reaching implications for regional and international security. This paper asserts that the US and its allies are harnessing the power of emerging technologies especially Artificial Intelligence to strengthen their collective defences under the aegis of the QUAD and AUKUS. Applying the defensive neo-realist lens, this study underscores the burgeoning collaborations between QUAD and AUKUS members while restricting China’s access to supply chains of semiconductor chips to prevent it from challenging US global supremacy. The findings contend that while the US and China are leading in the AI-economic realm, assimilation of AI into military capabilities could potentially intensify armed conflicts. Furthermore, exporting varying technological standards to other states may create distinct and contending spheres of influence globally.