The Securitization of Artificial Intelligence: An Analysis of its Drivers and Consequences
No. 93 (2025-07-25)Author(s)
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Mónica A. Ulloa RuizObservatory of Global Catastrophic Risks, Baltimore, United StatesORCID iD: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7878-041X
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Guillem Bas GraellsObservatory of Global Catastrophic Risks, Baltimore, United StatesORCID iD: https://orcid.org/0009-0003-3541-2208
Abstract
This article examines the securitization of artificial intelligence (AI) in the United States, understood as the discursive framing of this technology as a security issue that justifies exceptional political and regulatory treatment. In a context of growing concern over the risks associated with the development of AI, the article identifies the drivers of securitization and evaluate its consequences for public policy-making. To this end, it applies critical discourse analysis to a corpus composed of twenty-five speech acts from government agencies, technical-scientific organizations, and the media. The analysis reveals the coexistence of two dominant discursive grammars: one threat-based, which emphasizes concrete adversaries and legitimizes extraordinary measures; and one risk-based, which promotes preventive responses embedded in traditional regulatory frameworks. The article also identifies a tension between national securitization approaches and macrosecuritization processes, where AI is portrayed as a global risk that threatens humanity. These dynamics—shaped by institutional, ideological, and geopolitical factors—lead to divergent and, at times, contradictory political responses. The study’s main contribution lies in offering an analytical framework that distinguishes between different logics of securitization and clarifies their impact on AI governance. It concludes that an approach based on risk management, rather than threat identification, enables more sustainable and cooperative long-term responses. It further argues that integrating AI into conventional policymaking—without routinely resorting to securitization—is essential for building effective regulatory frameworks aligned with current global challenges.
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