Chinese President Xi Jinping says AI development should not be led as a “solo performance” by any single country, but instead as a “symphony of global collaboration.” Speaking at the opening of the 2026 World Artificial Intelligence Conference (WAIC) in Shanghai—described by outlets as China’s largest annual AI industry event—Xi also says the rapid pace of AI progress requires guidance to ensure outcomes are positive for humanity. He links this to the need for “human wisdom” and international consensus in how AI is developed and governed.
Sources also report that Xi frames China’s role in the next five years as support for developing countries through research and capacity-building. One report says China plans to provide 5,000 AI research projects along with training, seminars, and “cooperation centres,” including to countries and regional groupings such as members of ASEAN, the Arab League, the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, the African Union, Latin America, and BRICS.
Overall, the remarks emphasize international coordination and assistance rather than unilateral AI development, with Xi presenting WAIC as a platform for promoting cooperation.
