China Proposes Global AI Cooperation Organisation to Counter US Influence

China has proposed the creation of a new international organisation to promote global cooperation on artificial intelligence, aiming to position itself as a counterweight to the United States in the rapidly advancing field.

Premier Li Qiang announced the proposal on Saturday at the World Artificial Intelligence Conference in Shanghai, stating that China seeks to coordinate global efforts to regulate AI and share its technological progress.

Li warned that AI risks becoming the domain of a few powerful countries and companies, without directly naming the United States. He said China supports equal access to AI for all nations and companies and is willing to share its development experience, particularly with the Global South.

He also highlighted challenges in AI governance, including limited chip supply and restrictions on talent exchange. Li called for stronger international coordination to build a global AI governance framework based on broad consensus.

The three-day conference in Shanghai comes amid intensifying technological rivalry between China and the United States, with AI emerging as a central point of competition.

The US has imposed export restrictions on advanced AI technologies to China, including high-end chips from companies like Nvidia, citing concerns over potential military applications. Despite these curbs, China continues to make significant AI advancements.

Vice Foreign Minister Ma Zhaoxu told a roundtable of representatives from over 30 countries that China envisions the proposed AI organisation promoting practical cooperation and is considering Shanghai as its headquarters.

The Chinese foreign ministry also released an online action plan for global AI governance, inviting governments, international organisations, companies and research institutions to collaborate and support cross-border open-source communities.

The annual government-backed conference draws major industry players, researchers, investors and officials. This year’s event features more than 800 companies showcasing over 3,000 high-tech products, 40 large language models, 50 AI-powered devices and 60 intelligent robots.

Chinese tech giants Huawei and Alibaba are among the key exhibitors, along with startups like humanoid robot maker Unitree. Western companies including Tesla, Alphabet and Amazon are also participating.

Notable speakers included Anne Bouverot, the French president’s special envoy for AI, computer scientist Geoffrey Hinton, and former Google CEO Eric Schmidt. Tesla CEO Elon Musk, a regular speaker in past years, did not appear this year.

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• China proposes global AI cooperation body to promote equal access and governance

• Premier Li Qiang urges international coordination on AI regulation

• Organisation may be headquartered in Shanghai, with support from over 30 countries

Source: REUTERS