World AI Cooperation Organization founded in Shanghai

This article was published on July 16, 2026 Twenty-nine countries have signed an agreement to establish the World AI Cooperation Organization, a new intergovernmental body based in Shanghai. Twenty-nine countries signed an agreement on 16 July to establish the World AI Cooperation Organization (WAICO), Reuters reported. China says the intergovernmental body aims to promote international cooperation and global governance in AI. China’s foreign minister, Wang Yi, signed on behalf of Beijing. UN Secretary-General António Guterres attended the ceremony. The founding members include Russia, Belarus, Serbia, Cuba, Brazil, and Venezuela, along with 10 African and 12 Asian countries. The organisation will sit in Shanghai, state agency Xinhua said. China proposed WAICO at last year’s conference, but no country had formally announced membership until now. The signing took place on the eve of the 2026 World AI Conference in Shanghai. Xi Jinping is due to open the event in person for the first time. He is expected to outline China’s vision for global AI governance. A linked High-Level Meeting on Global AI Governance will also review progress on WAICO, Reuters reported. China and the US set out