Shanghai meeting backs new global AI governance body

The 2026 World Artificial Intelligence Conference & High-Level Meeting on Global AI Governance was held in Shanghai, China from July 17 to 20 under the theme “AI Partnership for a Brighter Future.” President Xi Jinping delivered the keynote address, with leaders, U.N. Secretary General António Guterres and representatives from more than 100 countries and international organizations attending.

The chair’s statement framed AI as a force reshaping economic and social development while raising challenges around ethics, data security, regulation, employment and critical infrastructure. It called for a people-centered approach, AI for good, fairness, inclusiveness and collaborative governance, with stronger support for Global South countries and progress toward the U.N. 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

The statement urged responsible open-source ecosystems, wider AI use across sectors, stronger data protections, greener computing infrastructure, worker safeguards and risk-based regulation. It also called for guardrails on large language models, defined boundaries for AI agents, global action against malicious use, and greater U.N. involvement to reduce fragmentation in governance.

During the conference, participants held the signing ceremony for the Agreement on the Establishment of the World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organization (WAICO). The organization will be headquartered in Shanghai and is intended to support inclusive AI development, capacity-building and cooperation, particularly for Global South countries.