Indonesia Joins Waico, Balancing AI Development with US Trade Concerns
Quick Look
- Indonesia joined the World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organisation (Waico) to boost AI development and global governance.
- Analysts suggest this move could be a political maneuver, potentially testing a recent trade agreement with the US requiring prior consultation for digital trade pacts.
AI-generated summary
Why It Matters
Indonesia joined 28 other countries to establish Waico, an initiative for global AI governance, with Chinese President Xi Jinping emphasizing cooperation. This move could potentially test a recent US trade agreement.
For Indonesia, membership in the World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organisation (Waico) offers a route to training, infrastructure and a bigger role in global AI governance as it seeks to boost technological development.
But analysts said the move could also be seen as a political manoeuvre that may test a recent trade agreement with the US, which requires Jakarta to consult Washington before entering digital trade pacts that could jeopardise American interests.
On Thursday, Indonesia was among 29 countries that signed an agreement to establish Waico, an initiative promoting global governance on AI. Other founding members include Russia, Brazil, Malaysia, Laos, Cambodia and Myanmar.
“The development of artificial intelligence should not be a solo performance by any single country but rather a symphony of global cooperation,” Chinese President Xi Jinping said during Waico’s launch ceremony on Friday, which United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres also attended.
“We should together oppose the practice of overstretching the concept of national security in the field of artificial intelligence, and of placing one’s own security above that of other countries.”
Open Questions
- How will the US react to Indonesia's Waico membership?
- What specific digital trade pacts are at risk?
- How will Waico's governance framework be implemented?
