Xi Jinping at WAIC 2026: 'AI for All' — China pushes inclusive approach, calls for human oversight

What happened

On July 17, 2026, Xi Jinping personally attended the World AI Conference in Shanghai for the first time since 2018. In his address, he pledged to make AI accessible to all and rejected technology blockades.

Context and impact

Xi's speech comes as 29 countries — including Russia, Brazil, and Indonesia — signed an agreement creating WAICO, an organization designed to rival the US-led AI governance framework. China is positioning itself as the champion of 'inclusive AI' against what it calls an American 'AI Iron Curtain.'

Details

• Key pledge: 'AI for All' — China will share AI without restrictions
• Human oversight: Xi explicitly called for maintaining human control over AI systems
• WAICO: 29 countries signed the global AI cooperation agreement
• Conference: 140+ forums, 1,100+ exhibitors, running through July 20
• Geopolitical context: direct response to US-China tech rivalry and chip export controls