Greater global cooperation and development-focused AI regulations are urgently needed to prevent a widening digital divide, scholars and international figures said at China’s premier AI conference on Saturday, July 18, 2026.

The annual World AI Conference (WAIC) in Shanghai showcased Beijing's efforts to engage the Global South with an AI package focused on training, infrastructure, and expanding influence over global governance.

“We need to build international consensus,” said Xue Lan, a prominent scholar of public policy and global AI governance and dean of the Schwarzman College at Tsinghua University, during a panel discussion. Xue urged international organizations to enhance interoperability between national governance systems and avoid fragmentation of global AI rules, while promoting cooperation between the Global South and Global North.

Representatives from developing economies expressed concerns that premature AI governance could hinder early-stage progress in emerging markets. “Governance is not about regulating at the very beginning,” said Nambaryn Enkhbayar, former president of Mongolia. He emphasized that nations must first seize technological opportunities and participate in the global AI economy. Enkhbayar also noted Mongolia's readiness to develop AI through cooperation with other countries, including China.

This dialogue at WAIC reflects a broader push to ensure equitable AI development and governance worldwide, particularly for countries in the Global South.

Sources