21/07/2026
Summary of Huma Yusuf's article, "Chinaβs AI wave":
The article discusses the launch of the World AI Cooperation Organisation (WAICO) in Shanghai, an initiative through which Chinese President Xi Jinping is explicitly advancing a state-centric vision for global AI governance. Capitalizing on a gap created by US protectionism and isolationism, China is positioning itself as an AI "godfather" to the Global South by advocating for shared technology, capacity building, and multilateral cooperation, while implicitly rejecting US dominance. Beijing's push to "hold the pen on AI" is driven by both economic ambitionsβsuch as building Global South dependence on its semi-conductor, critical mineral, and energy infrastructureβand an ideological shift away from the once-celebrated open internet toward state-dominated, highly regulated systems.
Pakistan recently joined WAICO as a founding member alongside 29 other countries, but the author warns that Islamabad must clarify its own priorities before being fully swept away by China's AI wave. While Pakistan's *National Artificial Intelligence Policy, 2025* aligns with China regarding infrastructure investment and regulation of dual-use risks, their security concerns diverge; China focuses on US military deployment of AI, whereas Pakistan is preoccupied with domestic non-state actors using AI for propaganda or drone attacks. Crucially, Pakistan's domestic goals emphasize data sovereignty, ethical AI, and data privacy principles that may clash with China's intent to export dependent technologies and state surveillance tools, raising the vital question of whether aligning with China will ultimately force Pakistan to sacrifice digital rights.
