29 states sign agreement to establish global AI cooperation body

BEIJING: Twenty-nine countries on Thursday signed an agreement to establish the World AI Cooperation Organization, an intergovernmental body China says aims to promote international cooperation and global governance in artificial intelligence.

Representatives from the 29 countries, including Russia, Belarus, Serbia, Cuba, Brazil and Venezuela, as well as 10 African and 12 Asian countries, signed the agreement as founding members.

The organization’s headquarters will be located in Shanghai, Chinese state agency Xinhua said.

The signing ceremony was held in Shanghai on the eve of the annual World Artificial Intelligence Conference, where Chinese President Xi Jinping is expected to outline an ambitious vision for Beijing’s role in global AI governance.

China proposed the creation of a World AI Cooperation Organization at last year’s conference but no countries had formally announced membership until now. Reuters

Our reporter from Islamabad adds: Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister (DPM/FM) Senator Ishaq Dar signed the Agreement on the Establishment of the World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organization (WAICO) on behalf of Pakistan at the signing ceremony held in Shanghai, China, on Thursday.

As a founding member of WAICO, Pakistan reaffirms its commitment to advancing international cooperation in the area of Artificial Intelligence, especially from the perspective of the Global South.

Pakistan looks forward to working closely with fellow WAICO member states in efforts to help bridge the global AI divide and to promote equitable access to AI to advance development for all.