China has launched a new international AI organization headquartered in Shanghai, bringing together 29 founding member countries in a push to shape global technology governance outside the United Nations system, reports Caixin.
The World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organization (WAICO) was formally established Thursday during the 2026 World Artificial Intelligence Conference. Founding members include Russia, Kazakhstan, Pakistan, Indonesia, Brazil, Venezuela, Ethiopia and Cameroon. UN Secretary-General António Guterres attended the signing ceremony.
Chinese President Xi Jinping, delivering the keynote address at Friday’s opening ceremony said China would balance development and security by improving laws, regulations, policy frameworks, application standards and ethical guidelines to ensure AI remains safe, reliable and controllable. He also pledged that over the next five years China would provide 5,000 AI-focused training slots for developing countries, establish international AI application cooperation centers with regional and multilateral groupings including ASEAN, the League of Arab States, the African Union, the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and BRICS, and promote deployment of China’s “Mazu” AI-enabled weather early-warning system in 30 countries.