Sixteen Chinese science and technology organizations issued a joint initiative calling for the establishment of an open, fair, inclusive, and effective global artificial intelligence (AI) governance system, and warning against technology hegemony, academic barriers, exclusive "small circles" and unreasonable technological monopolies, the Xinhua News Agency reported on Monday.

The joint statement, titled "Initiative of the Global Science and Technology Society on AI Governance" and issued under the auspices of the China Association for Science and Technology, was released by 16 sci‑tech organizations, including the Chinese Association of Automation, the Chinese Institute of Electronics, the China Computer Federation, and the Chinese Association for Artificial Intelligence, and it aims to build global academic consensus and work together to jointly promote the governance of AI.

The joint initiative urges that AI academic research be guided by the goal of increasing the well-being of humanity, and that security be treated as the baseline requirement for AI academic research and governance.

"We respect the right of all countries to participate equally in AI research and governance, as well as their AI governance paths and policies formulated based on their respective national conditions, and strictly oppose technological hegemony, academic barriers, exclusive 'small circles' and unreasonable technological monopolies, striving to better reflect the demands of developing countries and vulnerable groups in areas such as data access, talent cultivation, and rule-making," according to the joint statement.

The initiative also proposes guiding the public to accurately understand the current stages of technological development and its potential risks.

The fast development of global AI technology has brought huge opportunities for economic and social development, but also a series of new global governance challenges, which bear on the well-being of humanity and its future development trajectory, said the statement.

The initiative said that the development of AI transcends national borders, and the responsibility for its governance must be shared globally. The science and technology society should, with an open and inclusive attitude, advance the development of "AI for good" through pragmatic and effective measures, and contribute our wisdom and strength to promoting AI technologies to benefit humanity and building a community with a shared future for mankind, said the statement.

Liang Zheng, deputy director of the China Institute for Science and Technology Policy and deputy dean of the Institute of Artificial Intelligence International Governance at Tsinghua University, said that China has always insisted on balancing development and security in AI governance. He added that technology societies — as engines of research, idea diffusion and policy practice — have a responsibility to help shape constructive, global responses to AI's challenges and to promote its positive uses, according to Xinhua.

As a strategic technology driving the latest round of scientific and technological revolution and industrial transformation, AI is profoundly reshaping the global economic landscape, social governance models, and human lifestyles. The release follows China's broader push to promote international cooperation on AI governance and position itself as a constructive stakeholder promoting inclusive global AI governance frameworks, Liu Gang, chief economist at the Chinese Institute of New Generation Artificial Intelligence Development Strategies, told the Global Times on Monday.

"China has consistently adhered to putting equal emphasis on development and security, and harmonizing innovation with regulation, and it has proposed the Global AI Governance Initiative," Liu said, adding that the joint initiative demonstrates China's commitment to bridging gaps among nations and establishing common standards for responsible AI development.