China urged to avoid ‘us or them’ split with US over AI governance

China has been urged to ensure its new international artificial intelligence body, the World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organisation (Waico), is not perceived as an alternative to the US-led group Pax Silica. Analysts warn that this could deter potential members and lead to a polarized global AI landscape. Established at the World AI Conference in Shanghai, Waico currently has 29 members, mostly from the Global South, and has since gained nine more.

Despite China's insistence that Waico aims to advance "AI for good and for all," it has faced criticism as a strategic move by Beijing to rally allied capitals against Washington in the AI race.

A senior fellow from Tsinghua University, Sun Chenghao, stated that Waico and Pax Silica have different focus areas and are not inherently opposed. However, he warned that as AI governance, industrial policy, and national security intersect, the competitive dynamic between the two blocs could escalate, potentially leading the US-led group to impose external constraints on Waico members.

China's assistant dean for public policy at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Huang Ping, emphasized that China's goal is an inclusive international AI organization under the UN system, not a bloc to counter Pax Silica. However, he noted that the greatest risk to Waico's expansion lies in being labeled a "China bloc" by the outside world, which could discourage middle countries from joining.

Huang suggested that China could minimize the political cost of joining Waico by not imposing exclusionary clauses and allowing Pax Silica members to participate as observers.