Political Strategic Studies

Artificial Intelligence and International Security in the U.S.–China Rivalry: Integrating Posthumanism with Balance of Threat Theory and Strategic Imperatives for the Islamic Republic of Iran

Articles in Press

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

mshdi farhangdoost 1
ahsan razani 2
Amir Hooshang Mirkooshesh 2

1 PhD Candidate, Department of International Relations, Shahroud Branch, Islamic Azad University, Shahroud, Iran

2 Assistant Professor, Department of International Relations, Shahroud Branch, Islamic Azad University, Shahroud, Iran

https://doi.org/10.22054/qpss.2026.88587.3696
Abstract
Abstract



Rapid technological developments—particularly in artificial intelligence (AI)—have profoundly transformed the nature of power, security, and threat in the international system. The strategic competition between China and the United States over the development and application of AI represents a key manifestation of this transformation, one that cannot be fully explained by classical security frameworks such as balance of threat theory alone. In contrast, posthumanism, by emphasizing technological agency and the blurring of boundaries between humans and machines, provides a novel analytical perspective for understanding emerging threats.



This article seeks to redefine the balance of threat in the age of AI through an integration of posthumanist theory and balance of threat theory, proposing the concept of a “posthuman balance of threat” as an innovative analytical framework. Methodologically, the study is descriptive–explanatory and employs directed qualitative content analysis. The data consist of strategic AI documents from China and the United States, along with authoritative research reports, analyzed through a three-stage coding process. The findings suggest that AI has shifted the balance of threat from traditional military capabilities toward technological and algorithmic power. Within this emerging framework, Iran is confronted less with direct military threats and more with structural technological vulnerabilities.

Keywords

Posthumanism
Balance of Threat
Artificial Intelligence
Sino-American Strategic Competition
International Security
Subjects
Political Strategic Studies

Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript
Available Online from 07 February 2026

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