Bridging the digital divide requires not just unilateral efforts but a cooperative network of policy alignment and technology adaptation among BRICS countries and global partners, said an AI official from China.

by Xinhua writer Wang Qibing

GENEVA, July 16 (Xinhua) -- An artificial intelligence (AI) official from China has called for building a collaborative and multi-governance ecosystem to promote AI as a public good to close the development gap.

It is important to create synergy among diverse stakeholders across sectors, realize policy alignment and technology adaptation among countries, said Lin Zhen, director of the International Cooperation Department at the China Branch of BRICS Institute of Future Networks (BIFN), in an interview with Xinhua on the sidelines of the 2025 "AI for Good Global Summit."

Localized AI solutions should ensure that technology adapts to diverse developmental contexts, said Lin. "This reinforces our mission at the BIFN China Branch to not only deliver results but also promote a collaborative multi-governance AI ecosystem."

Under the BRICS cooperation framework, each member country has established a branch of the Future Network Institute to promote all-round cooperation in the innovative application of future network technologies on policy research, facilities construction and talent training.

As one of the first 17 Global Acceleration Centers for Digital Transformation of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), the BIFN China Branch actively drives digital development and facilitates cooperation in technical standards and policy regulation.

The 2025 AI summit in Geneva reflected a global shift toward "systemic solutions" for AI applications, said Lin. "From climate governance to inclusive healthcare, the focus is on creating synergy among diverse stakeholders. This clarifies the BIFN China Branch's role as both a technology implementer and a coordinator of collaborative mechanisms."

"Without adaptable standards, AI cannot effectively serve public welfare," she said, referencing the ITU's WTSA-24 Proceedings, including AI standardization resolution and opinion established by the 2024 World Telecommunication Standardization Assembly (WTSA-24), which affirmed the need for co-created rules.

Bridging the digital divide, she said, requires not just unilateral efforts but a cooperative network of policy alignment and technology adaptation among BRICS countries and global partners.

During the AI summit that ran on July 8-11 in Geneva, Switzerland, the BIFN China Branch hosted a workshop under the theme "Global AI Convergence: Innovative Practices for a Shared Sustainable Future," which discussed strategies for international cooperation, global connectivity and equitable AI sharing.

Founded in 2017, the "AI for Good Global Summit" is co-organized by the ITU, UN partner agencies and the Swiss government.