TEACHING INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS IN THE AGE OF AI- THE WESTERN BIAS EMBEDDED IN CHATGPT

Abstract

This article critically examines the pedagogical implications of integrating generative artificial intelligence (AI), particularly ChatGPT, into the teaching of International Relations (IR) at the university level. While ChatGPT offers clear benefits in terms of accessibility, speed, and assistance with research and brainstorming, it is far from a neutral educational tool. The AI’s training on predominantly English-language, Western-published data, including sources from U.S. academia, media, and think tanks, reproduces a Western liberal worldview that frames international politics through selective narratives and ideological assumptions. This includes favoring Western institutions and actors (e.g., NATO, the United States, and their allies) as legitimate and lawful, while portraying non-Western states (e.g., Russia, China, Iran) as aggressive or revisionist.

The article argues that using ChatGPT without critical reflection risks reproducing unbalanced worldviews and reinforcing existing power hierarchies in the classroom. It examines how ChatGPT reflects Western epistemological foundations, including realist and liberal international relations (IR) paradigms, and illustrates narrative biases through comparative case studies (e.g., Iraq 2003 vs. Crimea 2014, Kosovo vs. Donbas, Gaza vs. Ukraine). The piece emphasizes the importance of developing AI literacy among students, teaching them to recognize the limitations and ideological biases of AI-generated content.

Finally, the article proposes practical steps for educators: supplementing AI use with diverse, non-Western sources; using AI tools for critical comparison rather than as authoritative voices; and advocating for greater transparency in AI development and data governance. These approaches aim to foster more critical, pluralistic, and reflective IR education in the age of AI.