The World Artificial Intelligence Conference has kicked off in Shanghai, with Chinese President Xi Jinping addressing the event, according to The Lufkin Daily News and livetube.tv coverage of the opening.
Xi used the platform to position China as an AI partner to the developing world, while warning against both the risks of the technology and security overreach, according to CNBC. He called for stepping up the global effort on AI, a message NPR framed against the backdrop of US export curbs that are squeezing China's access to advanced technology.
Xi rejected the idea of AI as a "solo performance" by any single country, according to Benzinga, and argued the technology should be a "symphony of international cooperation," as reported by the Caspian Post. Benzinga also noted the arrival of China's Kimi K3 model, positioned as a challenger to OpenAI and Anthropic.
The conference showcased China's hardware ambitions as well. Pandaily reported that Chinese chips lined up "in full force" among the event's top highlights, describing a shift as AI moves into what it called the industrial era.
Separately, in a result tied to the AI moment, KED Global reported that Go grandmaster Shin suffered a defeat to the KataGo program in what it called a landmark human-AI match.
Why it matters: Xi's pitch for international cooperation, delivered as US restrictions tighten, signals China's bid to shape global AI rules and win over developing nations—turning a technology conference into a stage for geopolitical competition.