Twenty-nine countries on Thursday signed an agreement in Shanghai to establish the World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organization (WAICO), marking a significant step toward strengthening international cooperation and governance in artificial intelligence.
According to China’s state-run Xinhua News Agency, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi joined representatives from the 29 participating countries, including Kazakhstan, Laos, Pakistan, Russia and Indonesia, in signing the agreement, making them the founding members of the new organization.
Under the agreement, WAICO will operate as an independent intergovernmental international organization with its headquarters in Shanghai.
United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres attended the signing ceremony, underscoring the international significance of the initiative.
The agreement states that the organization will uphold the purposes and principles of the United Nations Charter while promoting extensive consultation, joint contribution and shared benefits among member states. It also commits to a people-centered approach in the development and governance of artificial intelligence.
WAICO aims to strengthen international cooperation and global governance on AI by promoting the development and application of the technology in ways that are safe, fair and beneficial. The organization also seeks to ensure the healthy and orderly advancement of AI for the benefit of all humanity.
China first proposed the establishment of WAICO in July last year as part of its efforts to foster greater international collaboration on emerging technologies amid the rapid global expansion of artificial intelligence.
The signing of the agreement comes ahead of the opening of the four-day World Artificial Intelligence Conference (WAIC), which is scheduled to begin on Friday in Shanghai. The conference is expected to bring together government officials, technology leaders, researchers and industry experts from around the world to discuss the latest developments in AI innovation, governance and international cooperation.
