Introduction

As global AI governance enters a new institutional-building phase, the 2026 World Artificial Intelligence Conference (WAIC) has delivered multiple landmark outcomes to foster a fair and rational global AI governance system. What is most worth noticing is the formal launch of the World AI Cooperation Organization (WAICO), strengthening the representation and voice of Global South countries in global AI governance, and offering 5,000 specialized AI training slots for developing countries to advance inclusive and equitable global AI development. What gaps in existing global frameworks will WAICO address? What global values does AI capacity building for the Global South hold? Amid U.S.-China strategic competition, are there avenues for bilateral engagement with the new organization? In this episode of SinoAI Insights, we take the major outcomes of WAIC 2026 as our starting point to interpret China’s global AI governance approach, analyze WAICO’s global positioning, and explore pathways for AI safety governance and viable models of multilateral AI cooperation amid U.S.-China strategic competition.

From Shanghai to the World: What Did WAIC 2026 Tell Us About the Future of AI Governance?.mp3

Host

·XIAO Qian, Deputy Director, Center for International Security and Strategy, Tsinghua University

Guests

·YAO Xu, Secretary-General, Center for Global AI Innovative Governance; Associate Professor, Fudan Development Institute, Fudan University

·George CHEN, Distinguished Visiting Professor, Schwarzman College, Tsinghua University; Senior Fellow, Centre for Civil Society and Governance, The University of Hong Kong; Former Managing Director, Public Policy, Greater China at Meta

Shownotes

03:12 Core Shifts and Three Defining Keywords of WAIC 2026

06:40 WAIC: Evolving from a Tech Expo to a Multilateral Platform for Global AI Governance

10:15 Why AI Capacity Building for Developing Countries Matters Globally

19:30 The Genesis of WAICO and Its Distinction from Existing International AI Governance Regimes

24:15 Perspectives of Global Tech and Industrial Sectors, as well as Regional Governance Bodies on WAICO

28:50 The Internal Logic Behind China’s Elevated AI Safety Agenda and International Interpretations

33:10 U.S. Perceptions of WAICO: A Geopolitical Instrument or a Multilateral Public Good

38:45 Prospects for Practical U.S.-China Cooperation Under the WAICO Framework

43:20 How WAIC and WAICO Reshape China’s Role in Global AI Governance

47:10 Key Global AI Governance Issues to Watch in the Coming Year

Team

Executive Producer:XIAO Qian

Producers: LIU Yuan,WANG Yexu

Podcast Editor:XU Ruijia

Content Assistant:ZHONG Junwen

Graphics Designer:CAI Leyao