President Xi Jinping warned against creating “new historical injustices” in the era of artificial intelligence on Friday, calling for greater support for the technology’s use and adoption in the Global South and a more open, inclusive approach to AI development. Addressing the 2026 World Artificial Intelligence Conference in Shanghai, Xi’s speech came shortly after his US counterpart, Donald Trump, delivered an unprecedented attack against Beijing during a prime-time national broadcast, accusing...
President Xi Jinping will speak on Friday at the opening of the 2026 World Artificial Intelligence Conference (WAIC), China’s largest annual event for the AI industry. Xi’s personal attendance elevates the conference’s profile, and indicates AI development has become both a technological imperative and a cornerstone of China’s geopolitical strategy. As Washington maintains strict export controls on advanced semiconductors and restricts overseas access to top AI models, Beijing is accelerating...