Cooperation and openness key to unlocking AI's potential, expert says

International cooperation and open-source development will be essential to turning advances in artificial intelligence into economic growth, as countries face shared challenges that cannot be addressed by any one nation alone, an expert said.

No single country has access to all the data, computing resources, and industry experience needed to develop and apply AI across every field, Zhu Keli, founding director of the China Institute of New Economy, said.

Closed technology systems could lead to duplicated investment and fragmented standards, limiting the scope for AI applications, Zhu said.

His comments came as the 2026 World Internet Conference Wuzhen Summit opened on Tuesday in Wuzhen, Zhejiang province. Running through Thursday, this year's edition is focused on open source and openness, joint contribution, and shared benefits, with AI cooperation and governance among the topics on its agenda.

Areas such as climate modeling, public health, and marine environmental monitoring require data and AI models from multiple countries, Zhu said. International cooperation is also needed to address cross-border digital governance and assess AI safety risks.