The need for international cooperation to govern artificial intelligence was highlighted at the 2025 World Artificial Intelligence Conference (WAIC) that concluded in Shanghai on Monday, as experts, scholars and industry insiders from home and abroad reached a consensus to advance coordination and tackle challenges together in AI governance.

AI's borderless nature makes single-country governance insufficient to tackle global risks, potentially fueling international competition over rules, said experts.

"Cross-border data flows face structural barriers amid balancing national security, privacy and commercial interests, making multilateral talks critical to finding common ground on AI's global challenges," said Jiang Zeting, Party secretary and chair of the university council of the China University of Political Science and Law (CUPL).

The Global AI Governance Rules Map 2025 and the Global AI Governance Regulation Collaboration Research Platform, both research outputs by professors at CUPL, were launched during the conference.

The map is an interactive platform that integrates multisource data — including legislation, cases, strategies and guidelines — into an interactive world map, breaking down isolated rules to enable visibility, connectivity and practical use.

Covering areas like technology innovation, data security, culture and climate protection, the map updates new rules within 72 to 96 hours and includes translation and annotation. Available in Chinese and international versions, it supports title or full-text searches and one-click filtering by authority, region or rule type.

Building on a domestic research network, the Global AI Governance Regulation Collaboration Research Platform has expanded internationally, establishing nodes across continents and engaging leading global experts. It aims to pool global wisdom for inclusive, consensus-based governance frameworks.

A forum focusing on AI cooperation and development among BRICS countries was also held during the WAIC.

Featuring deep discussions on global open-source ecosystems, industrial application innovation and governance frameworks, it aims to promote coordinated AI development across BRICS through joint achievements spanning academia, industry and application. The BRICS AI Industry Collaboration Network and International Artificial Intelligence Industry Alliance Global-Link were also launched at the event.

The WAIC also saw efforts aimed at promoting open cooperation and technology sharing in AI among developing nations.

A representative of the China Meteorological Administration donated "MAZU-Urban", a multihazard early warning smart system for urban applications, to representatives from Djibouti and Mongolia during the conference.

This will enable the system, which integrates advanced algorithms and multisource data, to enhance early warning practices and disaster mitigation efforts internationally.

Experts also discussed ways to bridge the AI divide for emerging markets and developing nations.

He Qi contributed to this story.