Xi Jinping used his first keynote at the World AI Conference to explicitly steer China’s tech priorities away from crypto and blockchain, emphasizing AI governance and international cooperation instead.
Crypto and Blockchain MIA at World AI Conference
The Chinese president’s landmark address marked a significant moment in China’s AI ambitions, but it was the notable absence of digital assets that stole the spotlight. As 29 countries formed an AI cooperation body, the conference’s focus was squarely on the future of artificial intelligence, not cryptocurrency or blockchain.
This subtle yet telling shift in priorities underscores a growing trend in China’s tech landscape. Since Xi Jinping’s 2017 call for China to become a global AI powerhouse, Beijing has been investing heavily in AI research and development, with a focus on applications in areas like healthcare, education, and transportation.
International Cooperation Takes Center Stage
At the conference, Xi Jinping emphasized the importance of international cooperation in driving AI progress. He called for a global governance framework to ensure AI is developed and used in ways that promote peace, security, and development. This emphasis on cooperation reflects China’s growing recognition of the need for international collaboration in addressing the challenges and risks associated with AI.
The creation of an AI cooperation body, comprising 29 countries, is a concrete manifestation of this commitment. This new entity will facilitate the sharing of knowledge, best practices, and standards in AI development, helping to build trust and avoid the kind of AI-driven conflicts that have been warningly portrayed in sci-fi films like “The Matrix”.
What this means
For regular people, this shift in priorities means that China’s tech ambitions are increasingly focused on solving real-world problems, rather than getting caught up in the hype surrounding crypto and blockchain. While digital assets may not be a priority for China’s AI agenda, the country’s growing influence in the global tech landscape is likely to have far-reaching implications for the industry as a whole.
