China has officially launched its own intergovernmental AI organization, with 29 countries signing on as founding members and the headquarters set up in Shanghai.
Known as the World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organization, the new body counts China, Russia, Brazil, Cuba, and Serbia among its founding members — a mix that includes 10 African nations and 12 Asian nations. The group says it will promote international cooperation on AI, capacity building, and global governance.
China first proposed the organization last year; now it has initial member support to make it happen. Beijing's pitch to the Global South is straightforward: open-source models and technical training aimed at lowering the barrier to entry for AI. The move also extends the US-China AI rivalry, which has increasingly moved beyond companies and products into international organizations and rule-making.
(Reuters)