Chinese President Xi Jinping advocated for enhanced artificial intelligence (AI) cooperation among Brics nations at the annual summit in New Delhi, emphasizing China’s role in leading collaborative efforts within the Global South amid intensifying competition with the United States. Xi proposed the creation of an AI-focused Brics “community” to promote joint development of large language models, facilitate training programs, and encourage open-source sharing among member states.
During the summit on Saturday, Xi called on the Brics countries—which include China, India, Russia, and seven others—to elevate practical AI cooperation, urging them to “strengthen cooperation in artificial intelligence, encourage open source and collaborative sharing and push practical cooperation to new heights.” The previous day, he invited Brics nations to participate in the newly established World AI Cooperation Organisation, positioning China as a driving force in setting AI development agendas.
The announcement comes as Beijing and Washington prepare for an AI dialogue that could begin in the coming days, integrated into broader trade discussions ahead of Xi’s planned visit to Washington later this month. This dialogue is expected to involve Vice-Premier He Lifeng and U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and reflects growing recognition of AI as a strategic area of rivalry between the two powers.
Chinese officials have underscored the strategic importance of AI development. Chen Yixin, China’s state security minister, described AI as a “new arena for strategic rivalry among major powers.” Meanwhile, the United States has expressed concerns about espionage targeting Chinese technology firms in AI, semiconductor, and biotechnology sectors. Chinese authorities have called on the U.S. to halt such activities, following comments by CIA deputy director Michael Ellis about expanding intelligence operations in China.
In the private sector, prominent U.S. AI figures have recently raised alarms about the pace and risks of AI advancement. Dario Amodei, CEO of AI company Anthropic, released an extensive essay urging a slowdown in development, warning that AI systems could become powerful enough to dominate the internet within six months if unchecked. Amodei, supported by OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and Elon Musk of xAI, called for stronger safety standards, independent oversight, and international cooperation to mitigate risks such as loss of control over AI systems, misuse for cyberattacks or bioterrorism, and economic disruption.
These concerns have had immediate market impacts. Shares in Chinese and Hong Kong AI-related companies dropped sharply following calls for a development pause, with indices and individual stocks, including MiniMax and Zai, seeing significant declines amid broader regional sell-offs.
U.S. political leaders are divided on how to approach AI regulation. Former President Donald Trump, in remarks made during a visit to Ireland, dismissed calls for slowing AI progress, framing them as detrimental to America’s lead over China. Trump emphasized a focus on maintaining U.S. dominance in AI and downplayed cybersecurity fears raised by industry leaders.
The growing discourse around AI safety and governance echoes earlier remarks by Xi at a Politburo meeting in January, where he stressed the need to balance innovation with effective oversight. However, independent assessments indicate that Chinese AI firms still face challenges in consistently publishing safety evaluations, signaling ongoing gaps in transparency.
As global powers grapple with the rapid evolution of AI technology, calls for coordinated governance and risk mitigation continue to intensify, highlighting the complex intersection of technological innovation, national security, and international cooperation.