AI innovation needs openness to benefit the world

The 2026 World Artificial Intelligence Conference (WAIC), which opened in Shanghai on Friday, comes at a time when that debate is becoming increasingly urgent. Beyond the technologies and breakthroughs showcased at the event, its broader message is clear: AI innovation is more likely to advance through openness and cooperation than through isolation.

On the eve of the conference, Shanghai hosted the signing ceremony for an agreement establishing the World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organization, underscoring the growing push for international dialogue and coordinated governance in the field of AI.

At the same time, unilateral restrictions and protectionist policies are placing growing pressure on the global AI ecosystem by limiting technology transfers and investment flows. The danger is not merely that innovation could slow, but that the world could become divided into separate AI ecosystems, leaving developing countries on the sidelines of the next technological revolution.

An expanding gap in access to AI has already emerged as one of the major challenges facing global development. If that divide continues to widen, AI could reinforce existing inequalities instead of helping to reduce them.

This is why international openness and cooperation have become increasingly important.

China has promoted a people-centered approach to artificial intelligence, advocating the principle of using AI for the benefit of all. Rather than treating the technology as a strategic resource to be monopolized, Beijing presents it as a tool for shared development whose benefits should be broadly accessible.

That approach has been reflected both domestically and internationally through initiatives such as WAIC, open-source projects, joint research programs, talent exchanges and capacity-building efforts aimed at expanding access to AI and helping developing countries strengthen their own technological capabilities.

China has also called for greater international cooperation on AI governance through initiatives including the AI Capacity-Building Action Plan for Good and for All, the Global AI Governance Action Plan and the AI+ International Cooperation Initiative.

These efforts emphasize the development of AI in a safe, inclusive and people-centered manner while calling for developing countries to have greater participation in global AI governance.

The underlying principle is straightforward: technological leadership should not be measured by how much innovation a country controls, but by how much progress it helps generate beyond its own borders.

Openness, however, must go hand in hand with responsible governance. As AI systems become increasingly powerful, concerns over safety, privacy, ethics and misuse require stronger international coordination. No single country can effectively address these challenges alone.

This is why forums such as WAIC are increasingly important. Beyond showcasing technological advances, they bring together governments, businesses, researchers and international organizations to exchange experience, strengthen cooperation and develop a shared understanding of the future direction of AI.

The future of artificial intelligence should not be shaped solely by monopolies or geopolitical competition. It should ultimately be judged by how widely innovation is shared and how broadly its benefits reach.

By emphasizing openness, cooperation and common development, China is advocating an approach that could help shape the next phase of the global AI revolution.