Twenty-nine countries have signed on to create the World AI Cooperation Organization — a new intergovernmental body headquartered in Shanghai.
Founding members include China, Russia, Brazil, Cuba, Serbia, and others. The list features 10 African nations and 12 from Asia.
The organization aims to foster international collaboration on AI, build capacity, and shape global governance. China first proposed the idea last year, and now it has secured initial member backing.
Beijing hopes to lower the barrier to AI adoption for the Global South through open-source models and technical training. The US-China AI rivalry, once focused on companies and products, is now expanding into the arena of international institutions and rule-making.