China Calls for Global Agreement to Balance AI Growth and Security

SHANGHAI – July 27:

As the global race for AI dominance accelerates, China’s Premier Li Qiang has urged the international community to come together and strike a balance between AI innovation and global security. Speaking at the opening ceremony of the World Artificial Intelligence Conference (WAIC) in Shanghai, Li stressed the urgency of building a shared international framework to manage both the opportunities and risks of AI.

This call for cooperation comes in the wake of U.S. President Donald Trump’s recent announcement of a low-regulation AI strategy focused on giving the U.S. a competitive edge by removing red tape and boosting private-sector innovation.

“AI development brings not only opportunities but serious challenges. We must urgently reach a global consensus on balancing innovation with safety,” Li said during his keynote.

China Pushes for Open-Source Collaboration

Premier Li also introduced a new China-led global AI cooperation body, emphasizing open-source development, transparency, and equitable access.“ If AI remains in the hands of a few nations or companies, it will deepen inequality,” Li warned.

“Only through openness and fairness can all countries—especially developing ones—benefit.”

However, he acknowledged that limited access to advanced computing chips remains a major hurdle. U.S. export restrictions on high-end semiconductor technology have added pressure on China’s push for AI self-reliance.

A Fast-Changing Landscape: AI, Ethics & Regulation

While China is expanding efforts to lead in AI, ethical concerns are growing. From misinformation and data privacy to job displacement, the rapid spread of AI has triggered global debate.

Speaking at the same event, Nobel laureate Geoffrey Hinton—known as the “Godfather of AI”—compared current AI development to raising a tiger cub as a pet: adorable now, potentially dangerous in the future.

“To survive, we must teach it not to harm us once it grows,” Hinton remarked.

In a video message, UN Secretary-General António Guterres called AI governance a “defining test” for global cooperation, while France’s AI ambassador Anne Bouverot echoed the need for urgent unified action.

At a February AI summit in Paris, 58 countries, including China, India, and EU members, agreed on boosting AI governance. But the U.S. and U.K. declined to endorse the call for global standards, warning that too much regulation could stifle innovation.

Why This Matters

As AI becomes more deeply embedded in everyday life from healthcare and education to national defense the need for a balanced, ethical, and inclusive approach is more urgent than ever. While countries like China and France push for cooperation, contrasting views from the U.S. highlight the geopolitical tensions shaping the future of technology.

Whether nations can set aside rivalry to create a safer digital world remains to be seen but the decisions made today will shape our AI-driven future.

— Reporting by Naqsh News and other Agencies

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