Special Meeting of the Group of Friends for International Cooperation on AI Capacity-Building Held at UN Headquarters

NEW YORK City, May 5 -- A special meeting of the Group of Friends for International Cooperation on AI Capacity-Building (Hereinafter referred to as "Friends of AI Group") was convened on Tuesday at United Nations Headquarters.

The meeting was co-chaired by H. E. Ambassador Fu Cong, Permanent Representative of China to the United Nations, and H.E. Ambassador Chola Milambo, Permanent Representative of Zambia to the United Nations.

Also in attendance were Mr. Chen Jiachang, Vice-Minister of Science and Technology of China; Ms. Luo Hui, Executive Secretary of the Party Leadership Group of the China Association for Science and Technology (CAST); and Mr. Amandeep Gill, the UN Secretary-General's Envoy on Technology.

Over 120 representatives from more than 50 countries and international organizations participated in the session.

Ambassador Fu Cong noted that since its establishment over two years ago, the Friends of AI Group has promoted digital transformation and capacity-building through pragmatic project cooperation.

He reiterated China's commitment to a people-centered, multilateral, and results-oriented approach, aiming to make artificial intelligence (AI) inclusive, beneficial, and accessible to all.

Mr. Chen Jiachang stated that China is committed to a path of open-source and open-innovation in AI, accelerating the construction of a global, inclusive technological innovation ecosystem and creating platforms for international exchange and mutual learning.

Ms. Luo Hui expressed CAST's willingness to work with all parties to create a diverse and mutually beneficial open ecosystem for AI capacity-building. She emphasized the goal of moving from "framework consensus" to "sector-specific deep dives" to help the Global South participate equally in the intelligent development process.

Ambassador Milambo stressed the need to ensure AI serves the development priorities of the Global South. UN Envoy on Technology Amandeep Gill called for the establishment of three pillars in international cooperation: policy, science, and capacity-building.

During the meeting, CAST consultants to the UN, including Academicians Guo Huadong and Wang Jian, and Director of the School of Artificial Intelligence of Shanghai Jiao Tong University Song Haitao, shared insights on international cooperation in AI-enabled engineering capabilities, deep space computing, and disaster prevention and mitigation. They also presented Chinese practices in leveraging AI for the benefit of the Global South.

Representatives from international organizations, including the World Federation of Engineering Organizations (WFEO), also participated.

In their remarks, various national representatives spoke highly of the role of the Friends of AI Group and China's scientific community.

They expressed a shared desire to further establish cooperative frameworks and take practical measures to ensure AI is inclusive and beneficial.

The meeting was organized with the support of the Department of International Affairs of CAST.

Tag: Department of International Affairs of CAST