Chinese President Xi Jinping has outlined a new vision for a global artificial intelligence (AI) order, directly challenging American technological supremacy. Speaking at the opening ceremony of the premier World Artificial Intelligence Conference (WAIC) on Friday (July 17), Xi pitched China’s massive open-source tech ecosystem as a global public good. The remarks serve as a counter to the US-led “Pax Silica” alliance, and follow recent push by Western tech leaders, such as Google DeepMind CEO Demis Hassabis, for a US-led international AI safety agency.According to a report by news agency Reuters, Xi urged the international community to seize the “historic opportunity” of open-source AI, while warning against the risk of the booming technology. He also declared that “AI systems must remain under human control”, and called on countries to urgently establish early-warning and emergency-response protocols to guard against loss-of-control scenarios where autonomous software might evade human oversight.
Xi Jinping targets US’ export restrictions
Even as Chinese state media has criticised US’ export restrictions and tech blockades, Xi’s positioned Beijing as the alternative for countries wanting to reduce reliance on American dominance. Comparing AI to the world-changing inventions of the steam engine and electricity, Xi promised that China will share its tech breakthroughs, datasets and expertise with developing nations to prevent “new historical injustices.”The conference highlighted China’s rapid technological gains with Beijing-based startup Moonshot AI stealing the spotlight by unveiling Kimi K3, which it crowned as the world’s largest open AI model by parameter count. The rollout comes just a month after the US government pulled rival proprietary models from American firms like Anthropic out of certain overseas markets due to national security claims.
China launches group for AI cooperation
To cement its challenge against US influence, Beijing recently launched the World AI Cooperation Organisation (WAICO), which has already signed up 29 member countries. Xi labeled the new agency a massive milestone that responds directly to the Global South’s demands for a seat at the tech table.Through WAICO, China has pledged to deploy localised AI training centers across key geopolitical power blocs, including the BRICS nations, ASEAN, Latin America and the African Union.
