The new Silk Road is paved by AI

While the original New Silk Road was built on investments in ports, railways, highways and energy, this new AI diplomacy aims to export digital platforms, language models, software, training and technological capabilities.

Artificial intelligence is the new Silk Road. Open-source models, digital infrastructure and technological standards are complementing – and in some cases replacing – ports and railways. Xi Jinping’s China aims to transform AI into more than just an engine for domestic economic growth; it is now a primary tool for international power projection. This was the core message emerging from the World Artificial Intelligence Conference (WAIC), which Xi officially opened on Friday, July 17, in Shanghai. For the first time, the Chinese president attended the event in person, a decision underscoring the fact that this technology is now seen as a top industrial, strategic and diplomatic priority.

In his address, Xi announced the creation of the World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organization (WAICO), a new Shanghai-headquartered body bringing together 29 founding member nations, including Russia, Pakistan, Indonesia and Kazakhstan. While the Belt and Road Initiative of the 2010s........

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