China Committed to Making AI a Driver of Shared Prosperity Amid Widening Global AI Gap

As Pakistan enters its annual monsoon season, the ability to accurately predict the weather becomes key to protecting public safety and reducing impacts on livelihoods. With the support of artificial intelligence, the China-developed MAZU weather system is now helping Pakistan detect potential extreme weather earlier and issue warnings more promptly. “By using this platform, we can predict floods, droughts, and various other extreme weather events more accurately,” said Furrukh Bashir, Head of the Research and Development Department at the Pakistan Meteorological Agency. “We hope more innovations like this can be utilised by people in various countries.” The deployment of the MAZU system in several countries demonstrates how AI can be used to address global challenges. Through open-source AI models, technology cooperation, and various international initiatives, China is working to expand access to AI technology so that its benefits can be felt by more nations. Opening the World Artificial Intelligence Conference 2026 and the High-Level Meeting on Global AI Governance in Shanghai on Friday, Chinese President Xi Jinping called on all countries to adopt a people-centred approach and work together to build a fair and inclusive global AI governance framework. “China, as a responsible major country, has always been committed to providing international public goods in the field of AI,” Xi said. During the event, Xi announced several measures to strengthen global AI development. These include assisting 30 countries in utilising the MAZU weather system, providing 5,000 AI training opportunities for developing countries over the next five years, and establishing international cooperation centres for AI application with ASEAN, the League of Arab States, the African Union, the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC), the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), and BRICS. Furthermore, China continues to promote the development of open-source AI models as an effort to create a more inclusive global AI ecosystem. Chinese AI models such as DeepSeek and Alibaba’s Qwen have garnered widespread attention for offering high efficiency, more affordable costs, and open-source accessibility. This combination helps developers and businesses adopt AI technology at a lower cost. Official data shows that cumulative downloads of Chinese open-source AI models have now surpassed 10 billion worldwide. In Africa, for instance, DeepSeek’s open-source approach allows developers to download, modify, and refine the AI system according to local needs. This approach strengthens local digital capacity while encouraging innovation developed by local talent. From a cost perspective, the model is also considered far more efficient. With rates of just US$0.27 per one million input tokens and US$1.10 per one million output tokens, DeepSeek reduces cost barriers by more than 90 percent compared to some widely used Western AI models. This opens up greater opportunities for businesses and users in Africa to participate in the digital transformation. “China, as a developing country, understands the aspirations of many countries in the Global South to accelerate economic development and technological progress,” said Zhang Weiwei, Deputy Director of the Institute for World Peace and Security Studies at the China Institute of International Studies. According to Zhang, the open-source AI models developed by China help various countries build AI applications more quickly and at a lower cost, allowing more developing nations to enjoy the benefits of technological advancement. The rapid development of AI has also been accompanied by a widening gap in AI capabilities between countries. The World Bank’s Digital Progress and Trends Report 2025 indicates a significant gap between high-income and middle- to low-income countries in terms of AI system development and computing capacity. Global data centre capacity remains concentrated in developed countries, with Africa possessing less than one percent of the world’s total capacity. To address this gap, Xi urged all countries to help developing nations enhance their AI capacity, narrow the digital divide, and build a widely accepted global governance framework so that new technologies truly benefit all of humanity. Over the past few years, China has consistently promoted a fairer and more inclusive global AI governance. In 2023, China launched the “Global AI Governance Initiative,” followed by the “AI Capacity-Building Action Plan for Good and for All” in 2024 and the “AI+ International Cooperation Initiative” in 2025. These initiatives aim to promote responsible AI development and narrow the digital divide. China has also expanded international cooperation through the establishment of the Center for Global AI Innovative Governance (CGAIG) and the Group of Friends for International Cooperation on AI Capacity Building. These platforms serve as venues for countries to strengthen dialogue, share knowledge, and enhance capacity in the AI field. The signing of the agreement to establish the World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organization in Shanghai on Thursday marked a further important step in strengthening global collaboration and promoting the development of artificial intelligence that is safe, fair, and beneficial for all.