China proposes global cooperation body on AI

The Chinese government has put forward a proposal to set up a world AI cooperation organization. Premier Li Qiang announced it on Saturday when he spoke at the start of the 2025 World AI Conference, which also hosts a high-level governance meeting, in Shanghai. The stated aim is to support open, inclusive and equitable AI development and governance worldwide.

The three-day event had the theme Global Solidarity in the AI Era. The opening ceremony drew over 1,000 senior representatives from more than 40 countries and international organizations. Li said the way forward depends on joint approaches so that intelligent technologies are built for everyone's benefit.

Li pointed to concerns about machine hallucinations, deep fakes and the spread of AI capabilities, and said there is an urgent need to strengthen social agreement on balancing development with security. Because global AI governance looks fragmented, he argued, countries should coordinate more closely and align their efforts to build a framework and rules that command broad consensus. He said China takes global AI governance seriously, takes part actively in multilateral and bilateral cooperation, and is ready to offer more Chinese solutions and wisdom. He recalled the Global AI Governance Initiative of 2023 and a capacity-building action plan from last year, which targets the AI and digital divides and fair benefits for the Global South. He added that China backs open source and wants to work with other countries on software and hardware advances.

The conference also adopted the Global AI Governance Action Plan on the same Saturday, which urges all parties to cooperate in solidarity on AI development and governance.

The Chinese government has proposed the establishment of a world AI cooperation organization as part of its efforts to bolster open, inclusive and equitable artificial intelligence development and governance globally.

Premier Li Qiang announced the initiative when addressing Saturday's opening ceremony of the 2025 World AI Conference and High-Level Meeting on Global AI Governance in Shanghai. Li emphasized the need for collaborative approaches to global AI governance to ensure that intelligent technologies are developed for the good of all.

More than 1,000 high-level representatives from upwards of 40 countries and international organizations attended the opening ceremony of the three-day event, themed "Global Solidarity in the AI Era".

Li said that the risks and challenges brought by AI development, such as machine hallucinations, deep fakes and AI proliferation, have aroused widespread attention. There is an urgent need to further consolidate a societal consensus on how to achieve a balance between development and security in the AI sector, he said.

Li said greater emphasis should be placed on collective governance to ensure that AI ultimately benefits humanity.

Given that global AI governance appears fragmented, it is essential to enhance coordination and alignment among countries around the world to establish a framework and rules for global AI governance with a broad consensus, he added.

Noting that China places great importance on global AI governance and actively participates in promoting multilateral and bilateral cooperation in this regard, the premier said the nation is willing to offer more Chinese solutions to the international community and contribute more Chinese wisdom to global AI governance.

In 2023, China proposed the Global AI Governance Initiative to promote an open, inclusive and fair approach to the development and governance of AI technologies. Last year, China proposed the AI Capacity-Building Action Plan for Good and for All to bridge the AI and digital divides, and to ensure the Global South benefits equitably from AI development.

China actively promotes open source development, and is willing to collaborate with countries around the world to promote progress in software and hardware technologies, intensify open source initiatives, and collectively propel AI development to higher levels, Li said.

Also on Saturday, the conference adopted the Global AI Governance Action Plan, which calls on all parties to work in solidarity to advance AI development and governance.