China is leading a new 29-country artificial intelligence group called the World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organization, or WICO. The alliance was formed during an AI summit in Shanghai in the third week of July, where President Xi Jinping formally announced it. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres attended the event. Xi said WICO aims to promote cooperation in AI and that no single country should dominate the technology.

The source says WICO includes Russia, Indonesia, Brazil, Malaysia, South Africa, Senegal and Pakistan. Chinese Premier Li Qiang first unveiled plans for the group last July. China has already deployed AI technology in several countries in Africa, South America and Asia and said that cooperation would continue. Beijing accuses Washington of restricting access to AI technology for many countries by citing national security concerns.

According to the report, China wants to use the bloc to counter possible US influence over planned UN international AI rules. The United States announced the Pax Silica partnership last December, and India joined the related agreement in February. Its members also include Australia, Greece, Israel, Japan, Qatar, South Korea, Singapore, Britain and the United Arab Emirates.