Winners of essay contest on role of AI in Ukrainian diplomacy announced

On December 5, the final round of the second All-Ukrainian student essay competition on the topic «Modern Ukrainian Diplomacy: synergy of human and artificial intelligence in defending national interests» took place at the Educational and Scientific Institute of International Relations of Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv.

The jury included representatives of the Ukrainian National Bar Association – chairman of the Committee on commercial law and procedure Hanna Osetynska and member of the Committee Council Vadym Popko.

This year, 252 applications were received from students of 46 higher education institutions from all over Ukraine. Students from Kyiv, Kharkiv, Dnipro, Lviv, Odesa, Uzhhorod, Chernihiv, Mykolaiv, Zhytomyr, Kherson, Kramatorsk, and other cities took part in the competition. Based on the results of the selection process, the jury formed a list of ten finalists, who presented their work during public debates.

The winner of the competition was Kateryna Mashoshina, a 4th-year student at the Educational and Scientific Institute of International Relations. She received a certificate for an internship at the Presidential Administration of Ukraine. In addition to cash prizes, the other finalists won the opportunity to undergo internships at the Ukrainian National Bar Association, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and law firms. Thus, the competition combined academic training for students with practical opportunities in the field of advocacy and diplomacy.

A special feature of this year's competition was the criteria for the content of the essays: a key condition for participation was not to use artificial intelligence when writing the essays. «Despite the theme of the competition, human thinking remains decisive in matters of strategic vision, protection of national interests, and foreign policy decisions, - commented H. Osetynska on the format. - At the same time, it is important for the legal community to support initiatives that combine innovative technologies and a responsible attitude towards the profession».

V. Popko is convinced that the experience of participating in such projects will be an important step for students towards further professional realization in advocacy and related legal fields. «This competition will help its participants understand the role of lawyers and diplomats in protecting human rights, the rule of law, and the interests of the state, as well as teach them to use digital tools, including artificial intelligence, carefully and ethically», - he noted.