World AI Cooperation Organization established in Shanghai.
On July 16, an agreement was signed by twenty-nine nations to form the World AI Cooperation Organization (WAICO), as reported by Reuters. According to China, this intergovernmental body is intended to enhance international collaboration and global governance in the field of AI.
Wang Yi, China's foreign minister, represented Beijing in the signing. UN Secretary-General António Guterres was present at the ceremony. The founding members include Russia, Belarus, Serbia, Cuba, Brazil, and Venezuela, along with ten African and twelve Asian nations.
Xinhua, the state agency, reported that the organization will be based in Shanghai. WAICO was proposed by China at last year's conference, but no nation had officially announced membership until now.
The signing event coincided with the impending 2026 World AI Conference in Shanghai, which Xi Jinping is set to inaugurate in person for the first time. He is expected to present China’s outlook on global AI governance.
A related High-Level Meeting on Global AI Governance will also assess progress on WAICO, according to Reuters.
Conflicting Visions
China and the US put forth differing approaches during a UN AI dialogue last week, as reported by Reuters. The US contended that stringent regulations could hinder innovations, while China portrayed its low-cost, open-source models as a public resource that could help reduce global AI disparities.
It appears that few major US technology companies will participate in the Shanghai conference. The two nations are also gearing up for their initial official AI discussions under President Donald Trump. This conflict is part of a broader US-China rivalry in AI.
Analysts characterize WAICO as an organization for developing nations outside of Western frameworks, including the EU’s AI Act and the G7 process.
According to an Asian diplomat who spoke to Reuters, “China has been making strides in building AI capabilities with Southeast Asian countries,” positioning itself as a voice for developing nations that might be falling behind in the AI race.
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World AI Cooperation Organization established in Shanghai.
Twenty-nine nations have agreed to a treaty to form the World AI Cooperation Organization, an intergovernmental organization for artificial intelligence based in Shanghai.