Nanjing University Professor Zhu Feng: AI governance urgently requires global coordination

"The uncertainty and technical challenges brought about by the artificial intelligence revolution far exceed those of the previous three industrial revolutions. This is not only a new driving force for mutual learning among civilizations, but also an urgent requirement for global collaborative governance." Zhu Feng, a professor at the School of International Relations at Nanjing University, made the above judgment on the 9th at the sub-forum "Light of Civilizations in the AI ​​(Artificial Intelligence) Era" of the "International Forum on Mutual Learning of Civilizations 2026" on the 9th.

On November 9, Professor Zhu Feng of the School of International Relations of Nanjing University delivered a keynote speech at the "International Forum on Mutual Learning of Civilizations 2026". Photo by China News Service reporter Zhang Xiangyi

Zhu Feng cuts through the context of 500 years of civilization evolution and reviews all industrial revolutions from the Age of Discovery to the steam engine, electrification, and informatization. He said that ancient China once stood at the pinnacle of agricultural civilization, but missed the wave of great navigation and the industrial revolution. Macao was a witness to the rise and fall of this civilization. After the reform and opening up, China has grown into the world's second largest economy and become an important player in global technological innovation. Under the fourth industrial revolution - the wave of artificial intelligence, China is well-positioned to become a parallel participant and leader in the global AI industry and technological process.

In his view, artificial intelligence is not only a new impetus for the development of Chinese civilization, but also a proposition of the times that all mankind must face together. While AI accelerates knowledge innovation and improves development efficiency, it also hides multiple cross-domain systemic risks. At the military security level, the deep integration of AI with the military systems of major powers may impact the existing international arms control mechanisms, induce a new round of arms competition, and raise global security risks; at the economic and social level, AI restructures the productivity structure and impacts the existing employment system; at the same time, AI-generated content reshapes the public opinion communication model, which can easily lead to a tearing of social concepts. Various risks are intertwined and spill over across borders, and no country can be immune to them.

Zhu Feng said that currently artificial intelligence technology is evolving rapidly, but the construction of a matching global governance mechanism is obviously lagging behind. The regulatory rules of each country are different, and it is easy to form governance loopholes, and technical risks will be transmitted across national borders. While artificial intelligence has injected unprecedented vitality into mutual learning among civilizations, it has also highlighted the practical urgency for the international community to cooperate and implement joint management and control.

He called on the international community to abandon the idea of ​​​​independent governance, conduct dialogue and consultation based on multilateralism, build consensus on global governance, jointly manage various uncertainties in the development of artificial intelligence, transform technological dividends into a development driver for mutual learning among civilizations, and ensure that artificial intelligence always serves the common welfare of all mankind. (over)