The World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organisation (WAICO) was formally established in Shanghai on 17 July 2026, with Indonesia signing on as a founding member. At the opening ceremony of the World AI Conference, Chinese President Xi Jinping announced that Beijing would provide 5,000 AI training opportunities for developing countries over five years and establish international AI application cooperation centres with ASEAN, the African Union, the League of Arab States, CELAC, the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation and BRICS. Indonesia’s Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto attended the signing and held bilateral talks with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Trade Minister Wang Wentao.

According to Chinese officials, WAICO is designed to prevent a new digital divide and ensure that AI development is not monopolised by a single country or bloc. Xi outlined four principles for global AI governance: open innovation, safety and security, inclusiveness and cultural diversity, and multilateral coordination under the United Nations. Wang Yi stated that the organisation is tailored for the Global South and that AI must serve all of humanity, not become a tool of exclusion. Russian Deputy Chief of Staff Maxim Oreshkin, leading Moscow’s delegation, warned that AI must not become a “closed club” and called for non-discriminatory access to data, computing power and modern models. Delegates from Mongolia and other emerging economies cautioned that premature regulation could stifle early-stage AI progress in developing markets.

Viewed from Jakarta, founding membership grants Indonesia early access to global AI governance discussions and a role in shaping rules that are inclusive, safe and ethical. Airlangga cited projections that AI could contribute $366 billion to Indonesia’s economy by 2030, with the country’s digital economy reaching up to $360 billion in the same period. On the sidelines, he met executives from Huawei and ByteDance to discuss investment in AI infrastructure, cloud computing, digital talent development and green energy solutions for data centres. Indonesia also sought Chinese assurances of a fair and equitable business environment for its companies, with Wang Yi stating that bilateral cooperation should not be disrupted by third parties.

The launch of WAICO occurs against a backdrop of US-China technology competition and Washington’s export controls on advanced semiconductors. From Beijing’s perspective, the initiative responds to demands from developing countries for a more inclusive international AI framework and counters what it describes as the overstretching of national security concepts to hinder cooperation. The Shanghai conference showcased advances in humanoid robotics and intelligent connected vehicles, with firms such as Unitree and Deep Robotics demonstrating autonomous kung-fu performances and industrial inspection robots. Indonesia’s participation signals its intent to leverage AI for economic transformation while aligning with China’s vision of a multipolar digital order.

Airlangga said he would report to President Prabowo Subianto on the outcomes, emphasising the need to accelerate domestic AI and robotics development. The WAICO framework is expected to facilitate technology transfer and joint research, with Indonesia exploring the establishment of an AI research centre with ByteDance. Operational details of the training programmes and regional cooperation centres are to be finalised in the coming months.