President Xi Jinping unveiled plans for 5,000 AI training slots for countries in the Global South during the World AI Conference in Shanghai. The initiative, part of China's broader strategy to shape global AI governance, aims to expand access to AI education and development in developing regions. The move underscores China's growing influence in shaping the future of artificial intelligence outside Western-dominated frameworks.
Twenty-nine nations, including Russia, Brazil, South Africa, Pakistan, and Indonesia, formed the 'World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organization' (WIKO) a day prior to the conference. The organization, headquartered in Shanghai, was first proposed in 2025. Its establishment marks China's most direct attempt to create an alternative AI governance structure, independent of Western influence. The group's focus on regional alliances highlights a strategic effort to counterbalance global AI leadership dominated by the United States.
Xi Jinping emphasized the need for AI to remain under human control, pushing back against overly broad national security justifications in AI policy. This stance is interpreted as a subtle critique of U.S. export controls on AI chips and technology. China's 'Smart Economy,' which includes AI and other digital technologies, is valued at over one trillion renminbi, or approximately $140 billion, according to the president.
Source: thedecoder
