China will lead creation of open source AI for Brics: Xi Jinping

China's President Xi Jinping announced on Sunday that his country will lead the development of an open source artificial intelligence (AI) with an open ecosystem for the Brics grouping, amid intense competition between Beijing and Washington in the sector. This AI initiative was among five trade and technology proposals unveiled by Xi at the outreach session of the Brics Summit, focusing on resilience, innovation, cooperation, and sustainability.

Xi's AI proposal follows China's creation of the World AI Cooperation Organisation, a group of around 30 countries, with the aim of building an AI ecosystem that offers lower-cost alternatives to US technology. In contrast to the closed model approaches of key American developers like OpenAI and Anthropic, China's strategy emphasizes openness and inclusivity.

The open source AI initiative includes supporting cooperation in developing and applying large language models, holding specialized AI seminars and training courses, and building an open ecosystem for AI. As part of the trade and investment facilitation proposal, China plans to establish a Brics special economic zone partnership, wherein countries can set up an intelligent portal, coordinate policies, and build a "new frontier for open development."