People visit the Moonshot AI stand, featuring Kimi K3, during the World Artificial Intelligence Conference (WAIC) in Shanghai on July 17, 2026. A model released on July 17 by Chinese startup Moonshot AI has fuelled buzz around the country's tech prowess, as experts said it could rival some of the more advanced offerings from US labs. Moonshot AI's "Kimi K3" is one of several from China growing in global popularity thanks to their lower costs and source code that programmers can customise. (Photo by CN-STR / AFP) / China OUT
Science and technology
China placed international cooperation at the centre of the 2026 World AI Conference and High-Level Meeting on Global AI Governance in Shanghai, where governments, researchers, companies and international organisations gathered to discuss the future of artificial intelligence. The conference produced new agreements, new technology initiatives and fresh commitments aimed at expanding AI access across the world. It also marked the launch of a new international body dedicated to AI cooperation and governance.
The conference opened on July 17 with a keynote address by Xi Jinping, who described artificial intelligence as one of the defining technologies of the present era and called for countries to strengthen cooperation rather than pursue division. He said AI development should remain people-centred, secure, open and inclusive while governance should rest on multilateral cooperation and shared responsibility.
