Russia Becomes A Founding Member Of The World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organization

Russia has become a founding member of the World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organization (WAICO), signing an agreement on Thursday (July 16) in Shanghai to establish the institution. Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Grigorenko and Digital Development Minister Maksut Shadayev represented Russia.

29 countries have joined, including Russia, as well as Belarus and Serbia in Europe; Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan in Central Asia; Oman in the Middle East; Algeria, Cameroon, Congo, Ethiopia, Kenya, Lesotho, Mozambique, Senegal, South Africa, and Zambia in Africa; Brazil, Cuba, Nicaragua, and Venezuela in Latin America; and Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, and Pakistan in Asia.

Six of these countries are full BRICS members and another five BRICS partner nations.

Illustrating its importance, the signing ceremony was attended by UN Secretary-General António Guterres. The new intergovernmental body will be headquartered in Shanghai. Its goal is to create transparent, safe, and ethical AI standards in compliance with UN principles. By signing the founding agreement, members have agreed to promote domestic AI technologies globally and strengthen international technological dialogue outside of Western-dominated frameworks. The organization is aimed at strengthening international cooperation and global governance in artificial intelligence.

Artificial intelligence is widely viewed as a key driver of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, with applications ranging from automating complex tasks and analyzing vast amounts of data to supporting strategic decision-making. Governments and businesses increasingly see AI as a catalyst for economic growth and innovation across multiple sectors.

China’s President, Xi Jinping, has stated at the ceremony that China will provide developing countries with 5,000 AI training and seminar opportunities over the next five years, while Beijing will also expand AI cooperation with ASEAN, the African Union, and BRICS. Xi called for a “people-centered” approach to AI governance and said that AI should remain “secure and controllable, a symphony of international cooperation, and assume a more visionary perspective.”