Artificial intelligence and big data in the Maritime Silk Road Initiative: The road towards Sea Power 2.0

Abstract

China’s Belt and Road Initiative continues to attract considerable attention from scholarsand observers in diverse fields. However, students of the Belt and Road Initiative (‘theInitiative’) have focused extensively on the land and sea dimensions of this grand projectwhile only tentatively touching on its other dimensions. This article draws attention tothe digital and maritime dimensions of the Initiative, which are respectively known asthe Digital Silk Road Initiative and the Maritime Silk Road Initiative. Specifically, thearticle focuses on how artificial intelligence and big data, as promoted under the DigitalSilk Road Initiative, intersect with the Maritime Silk Road Initiative to produce what theauthor refers to as Sea power 2.0. To contextualise this intersection, the article drawson patent data to show how artificial intelligence and big data are adopted in supplychains. The results from the patent analysis show that artificial intelligence and bigdata will play a crucial role in future supply chains, and hence, the Maritime Silk RoadInitiative. Although the article focuses mostly on the commercial side of Sea power 2.0,it concludes by pointing out how artificial intelligence and big data could serve militaryobjectives.