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DiploNews – Issue 514 – 1 May 2025

Diplo Academy upcoming courses and programmes

☀️ Applications open! Diplo’s 2025 summer online courses

Register now to reserve your place in our specialised summer courses!

👉🏼 Application deadlines for certificates issued by Diplo: 16 June 2025

For further information and to apply, click the course titles above or visit Diplo’s course catalogue.

◆ Need financial assistance? Scholarships are available!

Thanks to support from the government of Malta, partial scholarships are available for applicants from developing countries to attend upcoming Diplo online courses. These scholarships cover 30%–60% of course fees and can be applied to most 2025 online courses. Browse our course catalogue and contact us at admissions@diplomacy.edu for further information.


Upcoming events

◆ The cost and benefits of using digital technology for elections in Africa (14 May)

As African nations continue to explore and implement digital technologies in their electoral processes, it is crucial to assess both the costs and benefits, to ensure that such innovations contribute positively to the democratic process. This webinar aims to bring together experts, policymakers, and stakeholders to discuss the impact of digital technology on elections in Africa, weighing its advantages against the challenges it presents. Register here to attend!

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Main takeaways from our recent events

◆ Trump and tech: After 100 days

From AI and cryptocurrencies to global digital governance and Silicon Valley alliances, this event unpacked the administration’s strategic shifts, emerging tensions, and what lies ahead for the tech sector.


Blogs and publications

◆ From geopolitics to classrooms: The hopeful side of the USA–China AI race

The competition between the USA and China in AI education is emerging as a vital battleground amid geopolitical tensions. While concerns about isolationism persist, the collaborative nature of education may foster partnerships and shared resources, paving the way for global benefits. Ultimately, this rivalry in AI education could lead to promising developments in human capacities and societal growth. Read the blog post!


◆ Politeness in 2025: Why are we so kind to AI?

A Fortune study shows that about 80% of users in the UK and USA use polite language, such as ‘please’ and ‘thank you’, when interacting with AI. Politeness varies among users, with motivations ranging from intrinsic values to fears of AI dominance. While these courteous interactions may incur costs, they also reinforce our humanity and empathy in an increasingly transactional world – prompting reflection on our relationship with technology. Read the blog post!


◆ Linguists in the AI era: From resistance to renaissance

In the context of Geneva’s multilingual landscape, the rise of AI has sparked both concern and opportunity within the linguistic community. While AI will automate many translation and interpretation tasks, linguists remain essential for addressing its limitations – particularly in navigating syntax and semantics. Embracing collaboration with AI technology could lead to a renaissance in the linguistic profession, transforming challenges into opportunities for innovation. Read the blog post!


◆ Triumph of diplomacy: The Cuban Missile Crisis

The Cuban Missile Crisis pushed humanity to the edge of catastrophe – but it also revealed the quiet strength of diplomacy. In a tense standoff between superpowers, backchannel negotiations and mutual restraint averted disaster. Read the blog post!


◆ How concepts get their meaning

How do words get their meaning? The blog shows how terms like ‘dispositif’ and ‘consul’ gain meaning not through definitions, but through repeated use in historical and political contexts. Read the blog post!


◆ What’s wrong with doping?

Trainers, labs, surgeons, psychologists – all boost performance. But doping? That’s banned. Is the real scandal the drugs – or the unequal coronas of support? Read the blog post!


◆ ConfTech Digest #45, March/April

In March and April, Microsoft Teams, Google Meet, and Zoom released new updates to better accommodate hybrid work models. These updates focus on integrating new features and improving overall user-friendliness. This summary analyses how these changes are reshaping collaboration in the modern workplace. Read ConfTech Digest #45!


◆ Rewriting the AI playbook: How Meta plans to win through openness

What happens when one of the world’s biggest tech giants bets its future not on control, but on giving its most powerful AI tools away for free? Read the DW analysis!


◆ Beyond the imitation game: GPT-4.5, the Turing Test, and what comes next

What happens when machines not only speak like us but begin to mirror the subtleties of our personalities, emotions, and intentions – and we can no longer tell the difference? Read the DW analysis!


◆ DW Weekly #209: Big Tech on global trial Lawsuits, data leaks, cryptocurrency and viral tendencies

In the latest issue of the DW Weekly newsletter:

  • The EU Commission hits Apple and Meta with draconian fines
  • DOJ adds to Google’s antitrust trial the AI-driven search monopoly
  • AI startup Cluely offers controversial cheating tool

Latest videos

◆ DW Shorts #27: From rare earths to AI playlists: This week in digital drama

Beijing halts exports of rare earth elements. YouTube: AI-generated music tracks tailor-made to match the mood of your content. Netflix is testing a mood-based AI search tool. Watch the latest episode of Digital Watch Shorts #27 – below!

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◆ AI shorts #16: AI in ancient medicine, tacos, and crime – What could go wrong?

AI is back at it again: helping modernise ancient medicine, streamlining your car design, speeding up your taco Tuesday, and – unfortunately – levelling up the bad guys. Watch AI Shorts #16 below!

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