Pakistan joins new global AI body as founding member

Pakistan has signed the founding agreement of the World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organization (WAICO), becoming one of 29 founding members of the new intergovernmental artificial intelligence (AI) body headquartered in Shanghai.

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar signed the agreement alongside representatives from countries including China, Kazakhstan, Laos, Russia and Indonesia, China’s foreign ministry said.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi signed on behalf of Beijing. United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres and representatives of other countries and international organisations attended the ceremony.

The agreement defines WAICO as an independent intergovernmental organisation aimed at promoting international cooperation and global governance of AI. It will seek to support AI development that is beneficial, safe and fair, according to the ministry.

In an X post, Pakistan’s foreign ministry said the country would use its membership to advance AI cooperation from the perspective of the Global South, work with other members to narrow the global AI divide and promote more equitable access to the technology.

“It is a very positive step for Pakistan to join WAICO. It will further strengthen Pakistan-China collaboration in AI,” Yasar Ayaz, chairman and central project director of Pakistan’s National Center of Artificial Intelligence (NUST) National Center of Artificial Intelligence (NCAI) at the National University of Sciences and Technology (NUST), told China Economic Net in a written interview.

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Pakistan approved its National AI Policy in 2025 and has designated the technology a national priority. In February, the government committed to investing $1 billion by 2030 to expand sovereign computing infrastructure and research, alongside national skills programmes.

Earlier this year, Pakistan joined a China-backed initiative on sovereign AI focused on strengthening national control over AI systems, data and infrastructure.

During Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s visit to China in May, Pakistan formally backed China’s proposal to establish WAICO, and the two sides agreed to deepen cooperation in artificial intelligence, the digital economy, technological innovation and personnel training.