Xi Jinping calls for “fair and equitable” global governance of artificial intelligence

Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday called on the international community to promote human-centered artificial intelligence (AI), oriented toward progress and the common good, in order to make it “a great driving force for shared prosperity and common security.”

Speaking at the opening ceremony of the 2026 World Artificial Intelligence Conference (WAIC) and the High-level Meeting on Global AI Governance in Shanghai, eastern China, the Chinese leader called for a “fair and equitable” global AI governance system.

In his speech, Xi Jinping pointed out that the rapid development of artificial intelligence poses major challenges for humanity. He notably discussed issues related to the coexistence between humans and machines increasingly capable of reasoning, security when algorithms participate in decision-making, the adaptation of governance in the face of technologies that test ethical principles, as well as the need to guarantee equitable sharing of the benefits of AI while technological gaps continue to widen.

The Chinese president said all countries should adopt a human-centered approach in the development of artificial intelligence, so that the technology can serve the progress of humanity. He called for strengthening international cooperation and building together a global AI governance framework based on equity, inclusiveness and shared benefit.

According to Xi Jinping, such an approach will make it possible to make artificial intelligence a driver of common development, while contributing to the strengthening of collective security on a global scale.