Twenty-nine nations formally established the World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organization (WAICO) in Shanghai on July 16, 2026, in an initiative led by China. The organization, guided by UN Charter principles, aims to promote international cooperation on AI development that is safe, fair, and beneficial, and will be headquartered in Shanghai. Founding members include Indonesia, Brazil, Malaysia, South Africa, Russia, Pakistan, Kazakhstan, and Laos, with the effort first proposed by Chinese Premier Li Qiang in July 2025. No major American technology firms attended the founding summit, underscoring a growing divide in international AI governance frameworks.
