Chinese President Xi Jinping on July 17, 2026, set out four guiding observations on AI development and governance in a keynote at the opening of the World AI Conference and High-Level Meeting on Global AI Governance in Shanghai.
## Xi’s four observations on AI development and governance
Xi framed his address around four priorities. First, he called for openness and “win‑win” cooperation to drive innovation, urging support for open‑source, collaboration and sharing to accelerate technological advances, industrial growth and scenario‑based AI applications. Second, he urged heightened risk awareness, stressing that AI must remain “secure and controllable” and under human oversight; he also warned against using national security justifications to overstretch controls in ways that place one country’s security above others. Third, Xi emphasized inclusiveness and the protection of cultural diversity, saying AI should not erode the plurality of world civilizations or the uniqueness of national cultures. Fourth, he advocated for greater solidarity and improved global governance, calling for alignment on development strategies, governance rules and technical standards and highlighting the United Nations’ important role.
## International cooperation and support for the Global South
A recurring theme of the speech was cooperation. Xi urged extensive international collaboration to bridge AI and digital divides, explicitly calling for capacity building in Global South countries to promote sustainable development and to avoid creating “new historical injustice in AI.” He also pressed for coordination on strategy and standards as part of a broader push to harmonize global AI governance.
## Setting and ceremony
The remarks were delivered at the opening ceremony of the 2026 World AI Conference and High‑Level Meeting on Global AI Governance in Shanghai. Photographs from the event show Xi with foreign heads of state, international organization leaders and delegation chiefs. On July 16, Xi and his wife Peng Liyuan hosted a welcoming banquet for international dignitaries attending the conference.
Xi’s address placed AI governance at the center of international dialogue, stressing both the technology’s potential for shared progress and the need for collective frameworks to manage its risks and cultural impacts.
