• AI Conference in Shanghai city of China attracts participation from over 800 enterprises, showcasing AI-empowered innovations, inventions, products, models and industrial practices related to AI

• China will establish a world AI cooperation organization: LI

By: Muhammad Arif, Editor NSN.Asia

Shanghai: China is willing to help other nations with the AI technology, especially in the Global South to bridge the digital and intelligence divide said Chinese Premier Li Qiang while addressing the opening ceremony of the 2025 World AI Conference and High-Level Meeting on Global AI Governance held in in Shanghai, Eastern China on Saturday

China will establish a world AI cooperation organization to promote the inclusive development of AI and the use of AI for good, Li proposed.

No matter how technology transforms, it must remain a tool to be harnessed and controlled by humans. AI should become an international public good that benefits humanity, Li added.

Chinese Premier Li Qiang on Saturday said the international community should place greater emphasis on the joint governance of artificial intelligence (AI), calling for the early formation of a global framework and rules that have broad consensus to guide the development and use of AI.

Li urged more efforts to ensure universal access to AI so that more countries and groups will benefit from it. “China is willing to share its AI development experience and technological products to help countries around the world – especially those in the Global South – to strengthen their capacity building.”

He suggested greater cooperation on innovation to achieve more groundbreaking results. He said that China stands ready to undertake joint technical research with other countries and will be more open in sharing open-source technology and products.

An action plan for global AI governance was issued at the conference.

Li also revealed China’s “AI plus” plan for integrating the tech across industries that may attract participants from its Belt and Road Initiative.

This new initiative by China will advance multilateralism, and promote a style of global governance that features extensive consultation and joint contribution for shared benefits, the sources said.

The Chinese government is tentatively considering establishing the headquarters of world AI cooperation organization in Shanghai, according to Chinese media sources.

China expects the organization will serve as a platform for countries to deepen cooperation on #innovation, promote pragmatic cooperation to fully unleash the unlimited potential of AI, and achieve common development and prosperity, Chinese sources said.

They said that through this platform, China hopes to assist countries in the Global South to strengthen their capacity-building, nurture an AI innovation ecosystem, ensure that developing countries benefit equally from waves of AI, and promote the implementation of the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Further goals for the organization, they said, are to enhance the coordination and alignment of development strategies, governance rules and technical standards among countries, and to gradually form a global framework and international standards for AI governance that have broad consensus, based on full respect for the differences in policies and practices among countries.

By establishing the organization’s headquarters in Shanghai, China hopes to leverage its advantage in AI — and Shanghai’s advantage, in particular — to boost cooperation, according to the sources.

They said that China stands ready to discuss relevant arrangements with countries that are willing to join the organization.

Ahead of the AI conference, CEO Eric Schmidt met with Shanghai Party Secretary Chen Jining on Thursday in the city, according to a city announcement.

The 2025 World AI Conference officially kicked off in shanghai, showcasing 10 major sectors of artificial intelligence infrastructure, scientific intelligence, smart devices, AI-empowered new-type industrialization, integrating AI governance with industrial practices, and AI’s integration with finance.

The theme of this year’s conference is “Global Solidarity in the AI Era”.

More than 1,000 officials and representatives of industries, universities and research institutes from home and abroad attended the opening ceremony.

The three-day conference drew participation from over 800 enterprises.

Robotic massage therapists, robotic egg carvers, robotic housekeepers were the most attractive machines at WI World AI Conference for the visitors of are remarkably human-like, capable of learning, adapting and responding to their environment in real time.

A report by Morgan Stanley predicts the global market for humanoid robots will reach $5 trillion by 2050. By then, China is expected to have over 300 million humanoid robots in use across a wide range of industries.

Earlier, speaking at a regular news briefing, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Guo Jiakun said artificial intelligence is developing rapidly and becoming an important driving force for the new round of technological revolution and industrial transformation, adding that holding the 2025 World AI Conference and High-Level Meeting on Global AI Governance is an important step to implement the Global AI Governance Initiative proposed by China, with the aim of making the conference a technology leader, application showcase, industry accelerator, and governance council in the field of AI.

“We hope that participating parties will have in-depth discussions on three major topics, namely deepening innovation cooperation and unleashing the intelligence dividend, promoting inclusive development and bridging the digital divide, and strengthening collaborative governance and ensuring AI for good,” Guo said.

China looks forward to enhanced solidarity, joint pursuit for development and concerted actions to promote the sound and orderly development of AI and make sure it is a force for good, safety, and fairness, he added.

Artificial intelligence (AI) has become a revolutionary power that is rapidly reshaping industries worldwide, with China emerging as a major power in demonstrating how AI can drive industrial transformation at scale.

With a growing AI industry valued at over $70 billion and a dynamic ecosystem of over 4,300 companies, China provides insights into how nations can align strategy, innovation, and ecosystem development to harness AI’s transformative potential.

China is using AI to address industry-specific challenges while illustrating the complexities of responsibly scaling AI innovations.

Technology observers say China’s model may not be universally applicable but it offers valuable lessons on fostering industry-specific innovation and integrating AI into complex ecosystems.