The global challenge of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is driven partly by the spread of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs), many of which are carried on plasmids – mobile genetic elements that can move between bacteria. Predicting where AMR plasmids can establish and persist in new bacterial populations requires a deeper understanding of their ecology and the evolutionary mechanisms that shape their emergence, spread, and long-term maintenance across diverse ecosystems. In this presentation, I will discuss recent advances that shed light on these processes.