China AI summit hears Global South needs equal access to avoid digital divide

AI Summary

At the World AI Conference in Shanghai, leaders emphasized the importance of global cooperation and equitable AI access to avoid a digital divide. The event highlighted China's efforts to engage the Global South through AI training, infrastructure, and governance initiatives.

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. The message aligned with a broader pitch on display at the annual World AI Conference (WAIC) in Shanghai, where Beijing is courting the Global South with an artificial intelligence package centred on training, infrastructure and a bid for greater influence over global governance. “We need...