THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | JUNE 2024 31 Paula Osborn is the chief data officer at the Department of State’s Bureau of International Organization Affairs (IO). Prior to joining IO, Paula was a senior data scientist at State’s Center for Analytics. She has done extended details to U.S. Embassy Moscow, Mexico City, Kyiv, and Kabul, and was an elections monitor for the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe in Siberia. She joined the State Department in 2016 as a Presidential Management Fellow and is a civil servant. toward DataInformed Multilateral Diplomacy Here is a case study of the adoption of AI and data science in the Bureau of International Organization Affairs. BY PAULA OSBORN I n the rapidly changing geopolitical landscape that the United States faces today, using data analysis and artificial intelligence (AI) to efficiently analyze information and patterns, anticipate potential crises, and understand public sentiment will be critical for all diplomats. I work in the Bureau of International Organization Affairs (IO), and we are especially excited about the new possibilities AI brings and have specifically prioritized bringing data science into the art of diplomacy to advance national interests at the United Nations (U.N.) and other multilateral organizations. Leveraging data is particularly important to IO because the U.N. is the public messaging forum for global strategic competition in diplomatic matters. However, effectively integrating new technology into a legacy organization faces significant hurdles. Fostering a culture that embraces AI technology, particularly the modernization of AI infrastructure, is challenging. Utilizing the Data and AI There are numerous ways in which the State Department can utilize data and AI to bolster our diplomatic efforts; three will be outlined here, as well as obstacles the department faces to achieving these desired end-states. Future State of Diplomacy 1: Employing data and AI to enable diplomats to spend more time on core diplomatic functions. Limited resources and increased policy mandates have left diplomats with less time for strategic thinking and international FOCUS ON AI FOR DIPLOMACY
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