Shanghai, China, 17 July 2026 – The United Nations and China shared the view that progress made in developing artificial intelligence technology should benefit all of humanity and not just a handful of countries and companies.
“Artificial intelligence can be one of humanity’s greatest opportunities in the 21st century,” UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said in an address to the World Artificial Intelligence Conference (WAIC) in Shanghai. “It could also become one of its greatest risks. As your Conference theme reminds us, a brighter future depends on partnership.”
“The launch by President Xi of the AI Capacity-Building Action Plan For Good And For All is a very strong message of Chinese commitment, and the World AI Cooperation Organization (WAICO) can be instrumental in that regard,” Guterres said. “Partnership is also at the centre of the Global Digital Compact adopted by the UN General Assembly – with the full support of China.”
The UN chief said Compact made it clear: “Technology that will shape the future of humanity must be shaped by all of humanity. It cannot be governed by a handful of countries or companies. Every nation needs a seat at the table. That table has now been built through the Global Dialogue on AI Governance – as called for in the Compact.”
Representatives from dozens of countries attended the four-day conference in Shanghai. They agreed to establish WAICO before the meeting opened.
President Xi Jinping said in opening the conference, “In China’s view, all countries should take a people-centered approach and develop AI for the positive and for good. We should ensure that AI is an important driver for shared prosperity and common security. We should join hands to build a just and equitable system for global AI governance.”
Xi said his demand for people-centered AI rests on four observations: countries should adhere to the principle of openness and win-win and boost innovation-driven development; strengthen risk-awareness and ensure that “AI is secure and controllable, AI should be a trusted tool for humanity;”
encourage inclusiveness and promote mutual learning between civilizations, and advocate solidarity and improve global governance.
Xi said China, as a “responsible major country,” has proposed the Global AI Governance Initiative and promoted the adoption of the U.N. General Assembly Resolution on Enhancing International Cooperation on Capacity-Building of Artificial Intelligence by consensus. He said the creation of WAICO demonstrated that his country has been contributing steadily to the global AI governance.
In order to further support global AI development and advance global AI capacity building, President Xi said that in the next five years, China will provide developing countries with 5,000 opportunities in AI training and seminar programs; develop international AI application cooperation centers with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, the League of Arab States, the African Union, the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, and BRICS; and enable 30 countries to use the AI-powered meteorological warning system, or MAZU, to safeguard homes around the world.
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