China-led AI cooperation group launched amid US-China tech rivalry

Chinese President Xi Jinping advocated for global cooperation in artificial intelligence development at the World Artificial Intelligence Conference in Shanghai on July 17. He emphasized that AI governance should be a collective effort, not dominated by any single nation. This sentiment aligns with the recent launch of the World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organisation (Waico), a China-led intergovernmental initiative established on July 16. Pakistan is among the 29 founding members of Waico, an organization aimed at enabling developing economies to participate actively in the AI revolution. For Pakistan, facing fiscal constraints and a shortage of skilled professionals, Waico offers potential benefits in AI research, training, and infrastructure development. The conference highlighted AI's growing importance as a central element in global strategic competition, with China positioning itself as an alternative to the US in shaping AI governance. China's vision, reflected in Waico, is to make AI models, resources, and infrastructure accessible to developing countries at affordable costs. The organization's founding members include several Global South nations like Indonesia, Brazil, Malaysia, and South Africa. Officially, Waico seeks to foster international AI collaboration and promote safe, beneficial regulatory frameworks. Concurrently, it serves as a platform for Beijing to enhance its influence on emerging international AI governance standards. This initiative occurs amidst an escalating US-China technology rivalry, marked by US restrictions on semiconductor technology and Chinese limitations on critical mineral exports. The competition now extends to AI standards, supply chains, and global development rules. Despite US export controls, China possesses significant strengths in computing infrastructure, data centers, rare earth minerals, and electricity generation. China is also actively pursuing international partnerships, pledging training opportunities and regional cooperation centers for developing countries. For nations like Pakistan, these initiatives address the challenge of developing domestic AI capacity to avoid becoming mere consumers of foreign technology. The United Nations Technology Envoy, Amandeep Singh Gill, also stressed the need for broader AI capability distribution. While China positions itself as a partner, its outreach is part of a larger contest for technological leadership, paralleled by US efforts to build its own technology alliances. Pakistan's National Artificial Intelligence Policy 2025 and initiatives like the AI Seekho program align with Waico's goals, but successful implementation requires practical cooperation in research, workforce development, and technology transfer. Pakistan must also leverage its membership to advocate for AI governance frameworks that consider the needs of emerging economies.