Speaking at the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi on Sunday, September 12, 2026, Chinese President Xi Jinping declared that China would spearhead efforts to foster artificial intelligence collaboration and technological development among developing nations. The proposals were released via a statement from China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Xi outlined several key initiatives, including the creation of a BRICS AI open-source community, support for cooperation in developing and applying large language models, and the organization of AI seminars and training courses. Additionally, he proposed the establishment of a BRICS digital ecosystem cloud platform to facilitate technological exchange and industrial alignment.
Further proposals included the formation of a BRICS engineer cultivation alliance and a youth exchange program focused on scientific and technological innovation.
These announcements come amidst a period of rapid expansion in the global AI sector, characterized by the frequent release of increasingly powerful models. The industry is also facing heightened scrutiny regarding safety concerns; earlier this week, a researcher with experience at both OpenAI and Anthropic stated that many professionals believe AI could pose an existential threat to humanity by the end of the decade. Xi did not address these ongoing debates surrounding AI safety during his address.
Originally founded in 2009 as a counterweight to Western dominance, BRICS initially consisted of Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa. The bloc has since expanded to include Egypt, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Iran, and the United Arab Emirates.
I wonder if India will play a leading role in this new digital ecosystem given their massive tech sector, or if China will dominate entirely?
So BRICS is building its own cloud platform and open-source community? This is a significant shift in global tech infrastructure dynamics.
Interesting that Xi didn’t mention AI safety concerns at all. Tech cooperation is great, but we can’t ignore the existential risks.