Dr Gavin Mount1, Dr Miguel Gomez2
1UNSW Canberra, Canberra, Australia, 2Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, NUS, Singapore
Biography:
Miguel Alberto Gomez is a Senior Research Fellow with the Centre on Asia and Globalisation. Previously, he worked as a Senior Researcher with the Centre for Security Studies (CSS) at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH) in Zurich. His area of research is found at the intersection of technology, foreign policy, and political psychology. Specifically, he examines novel technologies shape policy, strategy, and public opinion for elites and the public at large. He has published widely in highly regarded journals such as International Studies Quarterly, the European Journal of International Security, and the Journal of Information Technology and Politics.
Abstract:
Information operations that shape perceptions and erode institutional trust have emerged as a pressing global concern, increasingly flagged by policymakers, scholars, and civil society. While much of the focus has been on the impact of these operations in Europe and North America, the Indo-Pacific is equally vulnerable, with persistent threats now amplified by advances in artificial intelligence (AI). Artificial intelligence is a capability multiplier, enabling hostile actors to scale these operations while evading traditional mitigation strategies. This is a dilemma for the region, where AI is also seen as a driver of socio-economic growth, necessitating a delicate balance between regulation and innovation. To navigate this challenge, it is crucial to understand the mechanisms that foster trust in AI and build societal resilience against AI-enabled information operations. Existing research points to the influence of political culture in shaping risk perceptions and opportunities around emergent technologies and is highlighted as a crucial component in trust building. This paper explores this mechanism through a comparative case study, examining how political culture impacts trust in AI and strengthens societal resilience against AI-driven information operations. In doing so, it offers a novel theoretical contribution by demonstrating how political culture moderates trust and resilience. Moreover, it provides valuable policy insights into how differing political cultures shape threat perceptions and the perceived benefits of AI, influencing regional and global efforts to counter AI-enabled information operations.