The United Kingdom’s refusal to sign the global joint declaration adopted at the AI Action Summit in Paris could create an opportunity for China to take the lead in AI governance. Experts suggest that the leadership vacuum left by the withdrawal of the US and the UK could be filled by Beijing.
The declaration, signed by more than 60 countries, including China, aimed to introduce measures ensuring that AI remains “open, inclusive, transparent, ethical, safe, and trustworthy.” However, the UK declined to sign the document, citing “national security and global governance concerns.” The US did not provide an official reason for its stance, but US Vice President J.D. Vance, speaking at the summit, argued that excessive regulation could negatively impact the industry.
Madeline Carr, a global politics and cybersecurity expert at University College London (UCL), stated that the UK likely refrained from signing the declaration to prioritize its alliance with the US “The leadership gap in AI governance will be filled by other actors, and this will most likely be China,” she added.
China Reiterates Its Call for Global Cooperation
At the summit, China reiterated its support for international cooperation, recalling the Global AI Governance Initiative it launched in October. Former Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Fu Ying emphasized that AI governance should “go beyond geopolitical interventions.” Fu also argued that US technology sanctions on China were poisoning the global cooperation environment.
Meanwhile, developing countries are avoiding taking sides in the global AI competition. In Africa, local AI solutions are becoming increasingly widespread, while Chinese tech companies continue to expand the continent’s digital infrastructure. AI is expected to drive significant transformation in sectors such as agriculture, healthcare, and education. In January, Nigeria introduced an AI-based tool aimed at improving efficiency in public services. This month, Kenya launched FarmerAI, an AI chatbot providing real-time agricultural information to small-scale farmers.
These initiatives largely rely on digital infrastructure built by China. Chinese tech giants such as Huawei and ZTE have laid the foundations for the AI ecosystem in Africa by developing fiber-optic networks, 5G infrastructure, and data centers. Yu Jia from Peking University’s Institute of New Structural Economics stated, “Chinese companies have provided the necessary infrastructure for AI adoption in Africa.”
As the global AI race between the US and China continues, Washington’s withdrawal from the summit declaration could further strengthen Beijing’s influence in this domain.