News summary produced by Claude AI
Chinese President Xi Jinping delivered remarks at the World Artificial Intelligence Conference in Shanghai on Friday, advocating for a collaborative global approach to AI development rather than dominance by individual nations. He emphasized that artificial intelligence advancement should function as “a symphony of international cooperation” and cautioned against what he termed “overstretching the national security concept” in AI development or prioritizing one country’s security interests over others.
Xi outlined China’s commitment to ensuring equitable access to AI capacity-building for developing nations, positioning the initiative as a means to prevent what he described as “new historical injustices.” The Chinese government announced plans to cooperate with international organizations and bodies representing Africa, Latin America, Asia, and BRICS countries to expand AI-related opportunities globally.
The remarks come amid ongoing technological competition between the United States and China. American and European authorities have implemented restrictions on Chinese technology imports citing national security grounds, while the US Commerce Department recently reinforced licensing requirements for advanced AI chip exports to companies with Chinese parent companies or headquarters. Xi stressed the importance of human oversight in AI systems, calling for legal frameworks, technological monitoring systems, and emergency response protocols to ensure AI remains under human control.
China has positioned artificial intelligence as a strategic priority within its industrial policy, with substantial state investment supporting the development of domestic capabilities across chip manufacturing and end-user applications. State media reports indicate AI token consumption in China has increased one thousandfold over the previous two years. While the United States maintains advantages in access to the most advanced semiconductors, China holds significant advantages in powering large-scale data centers that operate AI infrastructure, supported by its abundant and inexpensive electricity supply and substantial electricity generation capacity exceeding that of the United States.