When China hosted the World Artificial Intelligence Conference (WAIC) in Shanghai last month, Chinese President Xi Jinping attended for the first time, adding official recognition and prestige to the already prestigious annual gathering.
In his keynote speech, President Xi urged all the countries of the world to seize the historic opportunity of open-source AI.
Xi also pledged to help developing countries build their AI capabilities, even as he warned against the emergence of “new historical injustices” from unequal access to the technology. The venerable Chinese leader used his first appearance at China’s biggest AI conference to call for open-source AI, global cooperation, and technology sharing across countries
President Xi Jinping stressed that AI should be “a symphony of international cooperation” criticizing restrictions that limit access to AI technology and warning against any single country dominating the industry. The US and China are now competing for AI leadership, with Washington tightening AI chip and technology exports to China.
The remarks came a day after the launch of the China-created World AI Cooperation Organization, or WAICO, which signed up 29 member countries. Xi called the organization a "milestone in the history of world AI development" and said it responded to demands from Global South nations for greater participation in AI governance.
Beijing is clearly positioning itself as an alternative global AI leader, aiming to shape future AI standards and partnerships worldwide, and pushing the global use of AI for the common good of humanity.
Xi promised China will provide AI training and develop AI cooperation centers with BRICS, ASEAN, Latin American and African Union countries, aligning its AI diplomacy with major Global South blocs.
Indeed, China is now in the best position to share its amazing achievements in AI to the rest of the world, especially the Global South. This giant neighbor of ours has achieved major global milestones in artificial intelligence, and is the largest holder of AI patents, pushing the adoption of open-source models, and growing its core AI industry past 1 trillion yuan ($142 billion).
In the case of the Philippines, we stand to benefit from China’s offer of AI assistance because we now use AI in such sectors as the labor market, the business outsourcing industry, technological advances in governance, medicine, finance, education, sports, public service, law, and media.
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