(Re)considering Generative AI in Border Studies: Emerging Trajectories and Methods

Gintarė Kudžmaitė

doi:10.1080/08865655.2026.2643839

(Re)considering Generative AI in Border Studies: Emerging Trajectories and Methods

Gintarė Kudžmaitė^*

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Scientific › peer-review

3 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has been used for decades in border control. Border scholars have criticized its exclusive use for surveillance, biometric datafication and tracking. The recent public accessibility of advanced generative AI (GenAI), such as chatbots and image generators, has sparked new questions about AI’s role in society and research. By delineating the current state of technology and AI within border studies, briefly surveying existing social research on GenAI, and outlining possible applications of GenAI in border studies, this paper argues that the border-GenAI nexus informs an important inquiry in border studies that calls for more expansive exploration. GenAI tools offer a promising opportunity to advance scholarly debates and initiate a shift in prevailing attitudes within border scholarship toward AI and emerging technology.

Original language	English
Number of pages	14
Journal	Journal of Borderlands Studies
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1080/08865655.2026.2643839
Publication status	E-pub ahead of print - 22 Mar 2026
Publication type	A1 Journal article-refereed

Funding

This work was supported by Research Council of Finland, Scientific Council for Social Sciences and Humanities under Grants 339833 and 347374.

Funders	Funder number
Research Council of Finland	339833, 347374

Keywords

generative AI
border-GenAI nexus
AI in society
technology and borders

Publication forum classification

Publication forum level 1

Access to Document

10.1080/08865655.2026.2643839Licence: CC BY

Re considering Generative AI in Border Studies Emerging Trajectories and MethodsFinal published version, 978 KBLicence: CC BY

https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:tuni-202603273555Licence: CC BY

Cite this

@article{2ef2c4eee4d5400696af9229094a6d46,

title = "(Re)considering Generative AI in Border Studies: Emerging Trajectories and Methods",

abstract = "Artificial Intelligence (AI) has been used for decades in border control. Border scholars have criticized its exclusive use for surveillance, biometric datafication and tracking. The recent public accessibility of advanced generative AI (GenAI), such as chatbots and image generators, has sparked new questions about AI{\textquoteright}s role in society and research. By delineating the current state of technology and AI within border studies, briefly surveying existing social research on GenAI, and outlining possible applications of GenAI in border studies, this paper argues that the border-GenAI nexus informs an important inquiry in border studies that calls for more expansive exploration. GenAI tools offer a promising opportunity to advance scholarly debates and initiate a shift in prevailing attitudes within border scholarship toward AI and emerging technology.",

keywords = "generative AI, border-GenAI nexus, AI in society, technology and borders",

author = "Gintarė Kud{\v z}maitė",

year = "2026",

month = mar,

day = "22",

doi = "10.1080/08865655.2026.2643839",

language = "English",

journal = "Journal of Borderlands Studies",

issn = "0886-5655",

publisher = "American School of Classical Studies at Athens",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - (Re)considering Generative AI in Border Studies

T2 - Emerging Trajectories and Methods

AU - Kudžmaitė, Gintarė

PY - 2026/3/22

Y1 - 2026/3/22

N2 - Artificial Intelligence (AI) has been used for decades in border control. Border scholars have criticized its exclusive use for surveillance, biometric datafication and tracking. The recent public accessibility of advanced generative AI (GenAI), such as chatbots and image generators, has sparked new questions about AI’s role in society and research. By delineating the current state of technology and AI within border studies, briefly surveying existing social research on GenAI, and outlining possible applications of GenAI in border studies, this paper argues that the border-GenAI nexus informs an important inquiry in border studies that calls for more expansive exploration. GenAI tools offer a promising opportunity to advance scholarly debates and initiate a shift in prevailing attitudes within border scholarship toward AI and emerging technology.

AB - Artificial Intelligence (AI) has been used for decades in border control. Border scholars have criticized its exclusive use for surveillance, biometric datafication and tracking. The recent public accessibility of advanced generative AI (GenAI), such as chatbots and image generators, has sparked new questions about AI’s role in society and research. By delineating the current state of technology and AI within border studies, briefly surveying existing social research on GenAI, and outlining possible applications of GenAI in border studies, this paper argues that the border-GenAI nexus informs an important inquiry in border studies that calls for more expansive exploration. GenAI tools offer a promising opportunity to advance scholarly debates and initiate a shift in prevailing attitudes within border scholarship toward AI and emerging technology.

KW - generative AI

KW - border-GenAI nexus

KW - AI in society

KW - technology and borders

U2 - 10.1080/08865655.2026.2643839

DO - 10.1080/08865655.2026.2643839

M3 - Article

SN - 0886-5655

JO - Journal of Borderlands Studies

JF - Journal of Borderlands Studies

ER -

(Re)considering Generative AI in Border Studies: Emerging Trajectories and Methods

Abstract

Funding

Keywords

Publication forum classification

Access to Document

Fingerprint

Cite this