The government of Shanghai has announced and issued the Shanghai Declaration on Global AI Governance during the opening ceremony of the World Artificial Intelligence Conference (WAIC) in Shanghai.

The declaration contains the following five-point pledge to foster open AI development and international cooperation:

1. Promoting AI development

• Actively promote research and development to unleash the potential of AI in various fields such as healthcare, education, transportation, agriculture, industry, culture and ecology.

• Encourage innovative thinking, support interdisciplinary research collaboration, and jointly promote breakthroughs of AI technologies and AI for good.

• Closely watch and mitigate the impact of AI on employment, and guide and promote the improvement of the quality and efficiency of AI-enabled human work.

• Advocate the spirit of openness and shared benefit, and promote exchanges and cooperation on global AI research resources.

• Safeguard high-quality data development with high-level data security, promote the free and orderly flow of data in accordance with the law, oppose discriminatory and exclusive data training, and collaborate in the development of high-quality datasets, to better nourish AI development.

• Establish cooperation mechanisms to vigorously promote AI empowerment across industries, starting with accelerating smart application in such fields as manufacturing, logistics and mining, and simultaneously promote the sharing of relevant technologies and standards.

• Cultivating more AI professionals, strengthening education, training and personnel exchanges and cooperation, and improving AI literacy and skills around the world.

• Respecting the right of all countries to independent development, encourage all countries to formulate AI strategies, policies and laws and regulations based on their own national conditions.

2. Maintaining AI safety

• Considering AI safety, especially to data security and privacy protection.

• Recognizing the need to strengthen regulation, and develop reliable AI technologies that can be reviewed, monitored and traced.

• Strengthening AI-related cybersecurity, enhancing the security and reliability of systems and applications, and prevent hacking and malware applications.

• Jointly combating the use of AI to manipulate public opinion, and fabricate and disseminate disinformation on the premise of respecting and applying international and domestic legal frameworks.

• Working together to prevent terrorists, extremist forces, and transnational organized criminal groups from using AI technologies for illegal activities, and jointly combating the theft, tampering, leaking and illegal collection and use of personal information.

• Promoting the formulation and adoption of ethical guidelines and norms for AI with broad international consensus.

3. Developing the AI governance system

• Establishing an AI governance mechanism of a global scope, support the role of the United Nations as the main channel, welcome the strengthening of North-South and South-South cooperation, and call for increasing the representation and voice of developing countries.

• Strengthening cooperation with international organizations and professional institutes to share policies and practices of AI testing, assessment, certification and regulation to ensure the safety, controllability and reliability of AI technologies.

• Strengthening the regulatory and accountability mechanisms for AI to ensure compliance and accountability in the use of AI technologies.

4. Strengthening public participation and improving literacy

• Establishing mechanisms for diverse participation, including public consultation, social surveys, etc., to include the public in decision-making on AI.

• Increasing the public’s knowledge and understanding of AI and raise public awareness about AI safety.

• Carrying out communication activities to popularize AI knowledge and enhance digital literacy and safety awareness among the public.

5. Improving quality of life and increasing social well-being

• Actively promoting the application of AI in the field of sustainable development, including industrial innovation, environmental protection, resource utilization, energy management, and biodiversity promotion.

• Encouraging innovative thinking in exploring the potential of AI technologies in contributing to the resolution of global issues.

The agreement focuses on the active promotion of AI research across industries, including healthcare, transportation, and agriculture.

In addition, the discussion encompasses AI safety and a commitment to not leverage AI to manipulate public opinion and generate disinformation. The declaration further includes a pledge to cooperate in the sharing of AI technologies in the “spirit of openness and shared benefit” and one to mitigate the impact of AI on employment.

“We look forward to the positive response of governments, the scientific and technological community, the industry, and all parties involved so that we can work together to promote AI to benefit mankind,” said Chen Jining, Party Secretary for Shanghai.

During the opening ceremony, Chinese Premier Li Qiang said the country has focused on the criticality of the security and governance of AI. Post-declaration, Li remarked that China looks forward to collaborating with other countries to serve global developments utilizing AI.