The Indonesian Express
Industry leaders and business representatives have recently renewed their call for China-US cooperation in artificial intelligence (AI), stressing that stronger bilateral ties in this area will benefit both countries and contribute to global progress. The experts shared their views at the Global Digital Economy Conference (GDEC) 2025, which is taking place in Beijing from July 2-5 and aims to strengthen global digital cooperation across sectors. According to Stephen Orlins, President of the National Committee on US-China Relations, the direction of this century will be largely determined by how the US and China shift their dynamics from competition to cooperation in developing this transformative technology. "We stand at a crossroads," Orlins said. He explained that one direction leads to division, which could undermine global stability, deepen mistrust and create digital silos. But on the other hand, there is an opportunity for cooperation, a collective effort to harness AI’s potential, manage its risks, set common standards, and ensure that AI is used to improve human life, not to threaten it. “This is not just an option. It is an imperative. The two countries can jointly lead an international consortium to develop safety protocols for advanced AI systems, with a focus on transparency, resilience, and alignment with human values,” Orlins said. A report on global AI research released at GDEC 2025 found that China and the U.S. are the world’s two largest contributors to AI research, with their combined researchers accounting for nearly 60 percent of the global total by the end of 2024. Academic and industrial partnerships between the U.S. and China could foster mutual understanding and accelerate breakthroughs in key areas such as climate modeling, healthcare diagnostics, and disaster prediction, Orlins said. Global consulting firm Gartner said last week that China has made great progress in AI research and application, and is driving the global AI industry with its strengths in design, engineering and a vibrant digital ecosystem. According to Gartner, China is creating favorable conditions for the integration of AI into everyday life, and by 2030, more than half of China's population will routinely use AI technology. China's progress means opportunities for the US, according to Xu Lin, chairman of the China-US Green Fund. "China's vast data resources, combined with the US's strength in computing power, will bring great benefits to various sectors in the US, such as healthcare and pharmaceuticals," Xu said. Xu added that the US's advanced algorithms, coupled with China's rich application scenarios and big data, can help shorten the cycle from research and development to product deployment. He also noted that the two countries can work together to push for the establishment of global AI governance rules.