China and African nations urged to work with UN to set up AI governing institution

China and African nations urged to work with UN to set up AI governing institution

Amid intense competition with the United States to dominate Artificial Intelligence (AI), China has recently hosted a forum attended by a number of African countries designed to deepen a collaboration in the field of AI governance.

Hosted by Cyberspace Administration of China, the country’s internet watchdog, the China-Africa Internet Development and Cooperation Forum urged Beijing and African countries to strengthen cooperation within multilateral frameworks, most notably with the United Nations, to launch an international AI governing institution.

The Forum has also called for more representation of developing countries in regulating the technology. Zhuang Rongwen, the watchdog’s director, said his country would work with Africa to share opportunities brought by the information revolution and improve the global internet governance system.

The Forum, held in the Chinese province of Fujian, also called for better representation of developing countries in the global development and governance of the technology. China is in intense competition with the US to dominate AI, an industry that is still in the early stages of developing regulations and governance institutions.

In late March, the United Nations General Assembly adopted its first non-binding resolution regulating AI aiming to promote “‘safe, secure and trustworthy’ AI systems that will also benefit sustainable development for all”.

The Forum was attended by representatives from 20 African countries, including government officials from Benin, Gabon and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). African envoys to China.