China will take the lead in promoting artificial intelligence collaboration and development among developing countries, President Xi Jinping said at the BRICS summit in New Delhi.

Xi said China would spearhead the creation of a BRICS AI open-source community to support cooperation in developing and deploying large language models, as well as organise AI seminars and training programmes.

According to a statement released by China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Sunday, the initiative is aimed at building a more open AI ecosystem among BRICS members.

China will also support the establishment of a BRICS digital ecosystem cloud platform, alongside digital skills training, technology exchanges and greater alignment across industries, Xi said.

Xi also proposed establishing a BRICS engineer cultivation alliance and launching a youth exchange programme focused on scientific and technological innovation.

His proposals come as the artificial intelligence sector expands rapidly, with companies releasing increasingly powerful models at a fast pace.

The growth of AI has also intensified concerns about its potential risks.

A researcher who has worked at both OpenAI and Anthropic said this week that many people in the industry believe AI could pose an existential threat to humanity by the end of the decade.

Xi did not address the ongoing debate over AI safety.

BRICS was established in 2009 as a counterweight to Western dominance and initially comprised Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa.

The bloc has since expanded to include Egypt, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Iran and the United Arab Emirates.