WEBINAR OVERVIEW Artificial Intelligence is reshaping global politics. It is intensifying geopolitical competition, enabling new forms of information manipulation, and transforming the digital dimensions of conflict. At the same time, AI presents significant opportunities for peacebuilding: improving conflict analysis and early warning systems, and expanding inclusive participation in dialogue and mediation processes.

This webinar explores the critical question of how to move from high-level principles on responsible AI to practical implementation in peace efforts. How can AI be integrated into peace processes in ways that strengthen trust, accountability, and human agency? What safeguards are needed to ensure that digital tools support, rather than undermine, stability and democratic resilience?

Bringing together leading experts in digital peacemaking, international law, and global governance, the discussion will examine both the risks and the opportunities of AI in fragile and conflict-affected contexts, with a focus on operational standards, responsible use, and how international norms can help mitigate geopolitical tensions while enabling AI to serve as a force multiplier for peace.

PROFILES OF MODERATORS AND PANELLISTS

Dr. Jon Truby (Moderator)

UNESCO Chair in Artificial Intelligence Law & Sustainability | Centre for International Law, National University of Singapore
Dr. Jon Truby is UNESCO Chair in Artificial Intelligence Law & Sustainability at the Centre for International Law, National University of Singapore, where he also serves as Visiting Research Associate Professor. He is Chair of the International Law Association's Committee on Artificial Intelligence and Technology Law. His work focuses on AI governance, sustainability, and public international law, with recent contributions on AI and climate, international standards, and law and technology.

Mr. Michele Giovanardi (Moderator)

Programme Officer, Digital Peacemaking | CMI – Martti Ahtisaari Peace Foundation
Michele Giovanardi is Programme Officer for Digital Peacemaking at CMI – Martti Ahtisaari Peace Foundation, where he works on the responsible use of digital technologies and artificial intelligence in peacemaking, mediation support, and inclusive dialogue processes. He is also a doctoral candidate at the United Nations University for Peace (Costa Rica), conducting research on AI and human-machine interaction in peacemaking. He was previously a researcher at the Global PeaceTech Hub of the Florence School of Transnational Governance at the European University Institute (EUI).

Dr. Martin Wählisch

Associate Professor of Transformative Technologies, Innovation and Global Affairs | University of Birmingham
Dr. Martin Wählisch is the inaugural Associate Professor of Transformative Technologies, Innovation, and Global Affairs at the University of Birmingham, holding dual appointments in the School of Government and the School of Computer Science. He previously served the United Nations for over a decade, working on peace processes in Lebanon, Iraq, and Yemen, and led the Innovation Cell in the UN Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs (UN DPPA) in New York City. He has held visiting fellowships at Columbia University, the University of Cambridge, Durham University, and several other leading institutions worldwide.

Ms. Johanna Poutanen

Head, Inclusion & Digital Innovation | CMI – Martti Ahtisaari Peace Foundation
Ms. Poutanen has over two decades of experience in peace mediation, with a focus on advancing gender- and youth-responsive approaches, and leads work on inclusive mediation practice and the responsible use of digital technologies in peacemaking at CMI. She has been appointed Professor in Practice at Durham University Law School and has designed and facilitated dialogue processes across diverse conflict contexts including Yemen, Palestine, South Sudan, and Nepal. She holds a Master's in Diplomacy from the University of Helsinki and a Master in Public Administration from the Harvard Kennedy School (Fulbright Scholar).

Dr. Rafael Dean Brown

Clinical Associate Professor | Qatar University College of Law
Dr. Rafael Dean Brown is a Clinical Associate Professor at Qatar University College of Law, where he researches AI law and regulation, with publications on AI personhood and regulatory sandboxes. His scholarship has influenced EU, US, and UK policy. In 2025, he was appointed Co-Rapporteur of the International Law Association's Committee on AI & Technology Law, contributing to international discussions on law and technology. He also serves as an ambassador for Digital Learning and Online Education.

Dr. Samuel White

Global Fellow | Centre for International Law, National University of Singapore
Dr. Samuel White is a Global Fellow at NUS' Centre for International Law. Concurrently to academia, he has served as a Royal Australian Infantry Corps and Australian Army Legal Corps officer across a range of tactical, operational, and strategic level postings, bringing a unique practitioner perspective to questions of security and responsible AI in conflict settings.