China Proposes Global Organisation to Boost AI Cooperation

China has announced plans to create a global organisation to enhance international cooperation on artificial intelligence (AI). This move is seen as an effort to counterbalance the United States in the AI sector. Premier Li Qiang revealed this initiative at the World Artificial Intelligence Conference in Shanghai, emphasising China's commitment to global regulatory coordination and sharing technological advancements.

Li Qiang's announcement comes amid increasing competition between China and the U.S., with the latter recently unveiling a comprehensive strategy to boost AI exports to its allies. Although Li did not explicitly mention the U.S., he seemed to criticise efforts that could impede China's AI development. He warned against allowing a few powerful nations and corporations to monopolise AI technology.

Global AI Governance Challenges

Li highlighted ongoing global concerns regarding AI regulation, noting obstacles such as limited access to advanced AI chips and restrictions on international talent movement. "Current global AI governance remains fragmented, with substantial differences in regulatory approaches and institutional frameworks," he stated. He called for enhanced coordination to establish a widely accepted global AI governance model swiftly.

The three-day conference in Shanghai gathered policymakers and tech leaders amidst growing technological rivalry between China and the U.S., the world's two largest economies. The U.S. has imposed export controls on advanced technologies like Nvidia's high-performance AI chips due to potential military uses, yet China continues progressing in AI development, closely watched by U.S. officials.

Proposed Global Organisation

China's Vice Foreign Minister Ma Zhaoxu proposed forming a new AI organisation during a roundtable with representatives from over 30 countries, including Russia, Germany, Qatar, South Korea, and South Africa. He mentioned that China is considering establishing the organisation's headquarters in Shanghai.

The foreign ministry also released an online action plan inviting global stakeholders—from governments to research institutions—to collaborate on building international cooperation through initiatives like a cross-border open-source community.

Conference Highlights

This government-backed conference regularly attracts key figures from industry, academia, and policy circles. This year's event featured Anne Bouverot, France's special envoy on AI; Geoffrey Hinton, often called the "Godfather of AI"; and former Google CEO Eric Schmidt. Although Tesla CEO Elon Musk was absent this year, there was still significant industrial participation.

Over 800 companies showcased more than 3,000 advanced technologies at the event. These included 40 large language models, 50 AI-powered gadgets, and 60 intelligent robots. Most exhibitors were Chinese firms like Huawei and Alibaba, alongside startups such as Unitree that produce humanoid robots. Western companies such as Tesla, Amazon, and Alphabet also participated.

China aims for this new organisation to serve as a platform for fostering international collaboration on AI while addressing regulatory challenges globally. By sharing its expertise and products with developing nations in the Global South, China seeks to make AI accessible worldwide.