Chinese President Xi Jinping has positioned China as the leader of a new global artificial intelligence (AI) order, using the opening of the World Artificial Intelligence Conference (WAIC) in Shanghai to promote open-source AI and challenge U.S. influence over the future governance of the technology.
In a keynote speech on Friday, Xi urged countries to seize what he described as a “rare and historic opportunity” presented by open-source AI. He pledged greater Chinese support for developing countries through technology sharing, AI training and infrastructure cooperation, while warning that unequal access to AI could create “new historical injustices.”
His remarks represent Beijing’s strongest statement yet on its ambition to shape global AI governance and establish China as an alternative leader to the United States in setting international AI standards.
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China promotes open-source AI leadership
Comparing AI to transformative inventions such as the steam engine and electricity, Xi argued that AI should become a global public good rather than remain concentrated among a handful of advanced economies and technology firms.
China plans to expand AI cooperation through training programs, technology partnerships and research centres across BRICS, ASEAN, Latin America and the African Union, strengthening its technological engagement with the Global South.
Xi also highlighted the launch of the World AI Cooperation Organisation (WAICO), a China-backed initiative that has already attracted 29 member countries. Beijing says the organization will help developing nations gain a stronger voice in global AI governance.
Challenge to U.S. technology leadership
Although Xi did not directly mention Washington, the speech clearly contrasted China’s approach with the United States’ strategy of maintaining leadership in advanced AI technologies and semiconductor supply chains.
China’s emphasis on open-source AI comes as Chinese developers rapidly narrow the technological gap with American firms. Beijing-based startup Moonshot AI introduced its new Kimi K3 model during the conference, while Chinese open-weight models continue gaining international adoption because of their lower costs and greater accessibility.
Analysts view Beijing’s strategy as an effort to make Chinese AI platforms the preferred choice across emerging economies while reducing dependence on Western technology ecosystems.
Focus on AI safety and governance
Xi also devoted significant attention to AI safety, calling for AI systems to remain under human control and urging countries to establish early warning systems and emergency response mechanisms for managing AI-related risks.
He warned about the possibility of autonomous AI systems operating beyond effective human oversight and stressed the need for international standards that balance technological innovation with safety.
The comments represent some of Xi’s strongest public remarks on AI safety and suggest Beijing wants to play a central role not only in AI development but also in writing the global rules governing advanced AI systems.
Strategic competition intensifies
The Shanghai conference comes shortly before the first government-level AI talks between China and the United States under President Donald Trump’s administration.
The timing underscores how AI governance is becoming another arena of strategic competition between the world’s two largest economies.
Earlier this month, both countries presented competing visions during a United Nations AI dialogue. U.S. officials argued that excessive regulation could slow innovation, while China promoted affordable, open-source AI as a way to reduce global technological inequality.
Why it matters
Xi’s speech signals that AI competition is expanding beyond technology into geopolitics. Rather than competing only over advanced chips and AI models, Beijing is now seeking to shape the institutions, standards and partnerships that will govern the global AI ecosystem.
By positioning open-source AI as a development tool for emerging economies, China hopes to strengthen its influence across the Global South while challenging long-standing U.S. technological leadership.
Future outlook
China is expected to accelerate efforts to build an international coalition around its AI governance model through WAICO, BRICS, ASEAN and other developing-country partnerships. At the same time, Washington is likely to deepen cooperation with allies on trusted AI standards, semiconductor controls and secure technology supply chains, further institutionalizing the AI rivalry.
The upcoming U.S.-China AI talks will provide an early indication of whether both powers can establish limited cooperation on AI safety despite intensifying strategic competition. However, the broader contest is increasingly shifting from who builds the most powerful AI models to who writes the rules governing their global use.
As AI becomes central to economic competitiveness, national security and diplomatic influence, competing governance models from Beijing and Washington are likely to shape the international technology order for years to come.
With information from Reuters.
