On July 4, 2024, Premier Li Qiang of the State Council attended the opening ceremony of the 2024 World AI Conference and High-Level Meeting on Global AI Governance in Shanghai and delivered a speech.
Li Qiang said that when the first conference was held in 2018, President Xi Jinping sent a congratulatory letter, pointing out that next-generation artificial intelligence (AI) is injecting new momentum into economic and social development, and is profoundly changing people's way of production and lifestyle. In recent years, continuous breakthroughs in new AI technologies, constant emergence of new AI business models, and accelerated expansion of new AI applications have become an important driving force behind a new round of technological revolution and industrial transformation. At the same time, AI also faces a series of new challenges in areas such as law, security, employment and moral ethics.
Li Qiang pointed out that China has always actively embraced the intelligent revolution, vigorously promoted the innovation and development of AI, attached great importance to the security and governance of AI, and implemented a series of practical measures. China launched the Global AI Governance Initiative and proposed a resolution at the 78th United Nations General Assembly to enhance international cooperation on AI capacity building, which was unanimously adopted. China has made positive explorations and contributed constructive ideas and solutions to the global development and governance of AI.
Li Qiang stressed that the rapid development of AI urgently requires all countries to engage in in-depth discussions, build consensus, seize opportunities, and work together to overcome challenges. China is ready to work with other countries to make AI better serve global development and enhance human well-being, jointly advancing towards a brighter intelligent future. Li Qiang put forward three suggestions. First, deepen innovation cooperation and unleash the intelligence dividend. Countries should promote joint technological research, cross-border flow of data, free trade in equipment and connectivity of facilities, strengthen basic research and personnel exchanges and cooperation, and jointly maintain the security and stability of industrial and supply chains, so as to ensure continuous innovation, sustained breakthroughs in industrial development, and greater release of the intelligence dividend. Second, promote inclusive development and bridge the digital divide. Countries should work together to create an open, fair and non-discriminatory environment for AI development, help developing countries reinforce capacity building, promote the inclusion of network, computing power and data, and provide low-threshold and low-price AI services for small and medium-sized enterprises and the general public, so as to achieve greater digital inclusion. Third, strengthen collaborative governance and ensure AI for good. Countries should strengthen the synergy and coordination of development strategies, governance rules, and technical standards, promote the establishment of an international mechanism with universal participation, and form a governance framework and standards with broad consensus, so as to ensure that the development of AI is safe, reliable, and controllable, and always conforms to the fundamental interests and values of mankind.
About 1,000 people attended the opening ceremony, including foreign guests such as President of the Brazilian Federal Supreme Court Justice Luís Roberto Barroso, President of the New Development Bank Dilma Rousseff, and Director General of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization Gerd Müller, and representatives from international organizations, industries, universities and research institutes.
After the opening ceremony, Li Qiang toured the exhibition hall together with foreign guests and representatives of international organizations, and interacted with leaders of relevant scientific research institutions and enterprises.
The conference issued the Shanghai Declaration on Global AI Governance.
Chen Jining and Wu Zhenglong attended the above events.