The call came during the 2025 World AI
Conference and High-Level Meeting on Global AI Governance in Shanghai.
At the event, Chinese officials unveiled a
comprehensive action plan and proposed a new international body to oversee AI
cooperation.
The conference, attended by representatives
from over 70 countries, marked a pivotal moment in the global AI discourse.
China’s message was clear, asserting that
artificial intelligence should not be monopolised by a handful of wealthy
nations or tech giants.
In a sweeping vision for the future of
artificial intelligence, Beijing held that AI should instead serve as a shared
resource for humanity.
"AI is not a privilege—it is a
right," declared Premier Li Qiang in his address. "Its benefits must
reach every corner of the world, from the most advanced economies to the
smallest developing nations."
The sentiment was echoed throughout the
three-day summit, where China laid out a 13-point Action Plan for Global AI Governance.
The blueprint is designed to ensure that AI
development remains inclusive, safe, and sustainable.
At the heart of China’s proposal is the belief
that AI can only fulfil its potential if it is governed cooperatively.
The plan’s key pillars include universal access, which involves accelerating
digital infrastructure in developing nations to close the AI divide.
There is also an aspect of open innovation that entails encouraging
cross-border research and reducing barriers to AI development.
Ethical standards also rank high with the call for global guidelines to prevent bias, misuse, and
environmental harm.
For China, governments
should 'take the lead' in deploying AI for social good.
One of the most
ambitious aspects of the plan is its emphasis on "sustainable AI."
China, while recognising
the massive energy demands of AI systems, called for international cooperation
in developing low-power chips, efficient algorithms, and green data centres.
To turn these principles into reality, China
proposed the creation of a World
Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organisation (WAICO), with its
headquarters tentatively set in Shanghai.
The body would function as a multilateral
platform for policy coordination, resource sharing, and dispute resolution in
AI governance.
Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Guo Jiakun
described the initiative as "a gift to the international community."
He emphasised that WAICO would prioritise the
needs of the Global South.
"Many nations fear being left behind in
the AI race," Guo said. "This organisation will ensure that no
country is excluded from the AI revolution."
Beyond policy discussions, the conference also
served as a showcase for cutting-edge AI applications.
Over 3,000 technologies were displayed,
including breakthroughs in healthcare, agriculture, and climate modelling.
One highlight was a "Green AI" initiative, where
Chinese firms demonstrated how AI could optimise energy use in manufacturing
and urban planning.
The central argument is that AI isn’t just
about chatbots and self-driving cars, but about solving real-world problems—hunger,
disease, inequality.
China’s push for "AI for all" aligns
with broader geopolitical trends, as nations grapple with the dual challenges
of harnessing AI’s potential while mitigating its risks.
The 13-point plan explicitly references
the UN Global Digital Compact,
signalling China’s intent to position itself as a leader in shaping the future
of digital governance.
Yet the success of these initiatives will
depend on international buy-in.
The grand questions are: will the US and EU
engage with WAICO? Can China bridge the trust gap with sceptical partners?
And most crucially—will the Global South truly gain greater access to AI tools, or will power remain concentrated in the hands of a few?
