Xi Calls for Global AI Cooperation at Shanghai Conference

Chinese President Xi Jinping called for international cooperation on artificial intelligence and warned against any single country dominating the field during a keynote address at the opening of the World Artificial Intelligence Conference in Shanghai on Friday.

Xi stated that AI development should not be a solo performance by one country but a symphony of international cooperation. He urged joint opposition to overstretching the national security concept in AI or placing one country’s security over that of others.

The president also emphasized a people-centered approach, saying laws, regulations, monitoring, early warning and emergency response systems should ensure AI remains under human control. Xi announced that China would cooperate with international bodies from Africa, Latin America, Asia and BRICS countries to provide AI-related opportunities and prevent new historical injustices in access to the technology.

The remarks came against the backdrop of U.S. restrictions. In May the U.S. Commerce Department issued a notice affirming licensing requirements for advanced AI chip exports to all businesses with headquarters or a parent company in China, including subsidiaries located outside the country.

Daily consumption of AI tokens in China has risen a thousandfold over the past two years, according to state media. China generates more than twice as much electricity as the United States and holds an advantage in powering the large data centers required for AI, Al Jazeera reported.

A typical data center consumes as much electricity as 100,000 households, while next-generation hyperscale facilities can use as much power as two million homes, according to the International Energy Agency.