China's Xi calls for tighter AI controls, broader access to technology

China’s Xi calls for tighter AI controls, broader access to technology highlights President Xi Jinping’s push to balance AI safety with wider availability as competition with the United States intensifies. Speaking Friday at the opening of the World Artificial Intelligence Conference in Shanghai, Xi said the country should strengthen risk awareness and ensure AI is safe and controllable, combining legislation, oversight and early-warning systems to prevent misuse. He also argued that national security should not be used to block access to AI models. Xi’s remarks came as 29 countries agreed the day before to establish the World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organization (WAICO) in Shanghai, aiming to promote cooperation and global governance. Coinciding with the conference, Beijing-based Moonshot AI unveiled Kimi K3 with 2.8 trillion parameters, seeking to catch up with OpenAI and Anthropic.