AI should not be 'solo performance' but 'symphony of global collaboration': Xi Jinping

Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday said the development of AI should not be a "solo performance" by one country, but a "symphony of global collaboration".

Xi made these remarks while addressing the opening of the 2026 World Artificial Intelligence Conference (WAIC), China's largest annual AI industry event, in Shanghai.

"With AI advancing at a staggering speed, we must ensure its development is positive, for the good and for humanity," he said.


"We human beings must answer the questions posed by our times: How to get along with thinking machines? How to ensure security when an algorithm is part of decision making? How to tackle ethical challenges by technologies through adaptive governance? How to realise AI for all when the divide keeps widening? These questions demand serious consideration and real answers from the whole international community," he said.

China wants all countries to take a people-centric approach and develop AI.

"We should ensure that AI is an important driver for shared prosperity and common security. We should join hands to build a just and equitable system for global AI governance," he said.

To further support AI development in the next five years, he said China will provide developing countries, including members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, the Arab League, the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, the African Union, Latin American and the BRICS member countries with 5,000 research projects in AI, as well as training, seminar programmes and cooperation centres.

Earlier, 29 countries signed an agreement in Shanghai to establish the World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organisation (WAICO).

The WAICO will be an independent intergovernmental international organisation headquartered in Shanghai, according to the agreement, state-run Xinhua news agency reported.

Representatives from the 29 countries, including Kazakhstan, Laos, Pakistan, Russia and Indonesia, besides China, signed the agreement, making their countries the WAICO's founding members.

The United Nations Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, was also among representatives from countries and international organisations present at the signing ceremony.

The organisation will uphold the purposes of the UN Charter, be committed to extensive consultation and joint contribution for shared benefit and adhere to a people-centred approach, according to the agreement, Xinhua report said.

In recent years, China has made big strides in several frontier technologies, artificial intelligence (AI), electric vehicles (EVs), and battery technology, aided by the massive state support, a huge domestic market, strong manufacturing capabilities, and a large pool of engineers.

On the AI front, China has made it a national strategic priority, aiming to become the world's leading AI innovation centre with heavy investments from the government in research, computing infrastructure, semiconductor development, and talent cultivation.

Also, China has emerged as the world's largest producer and exporter of electric vehicles as its EV industry has expanded dramatically over the past decade.

Analysts say China's progress in AI, electric vehicles, and battery technology aims to shift away from a manufacturing hub to become a major technological innovator, even while facing stiff competition from the US, EU, South Korea and Japan, besides American export controls on advanced AI chips. PTI