The defining geopolitical competition of the twenty-first century will not be fought solely over trade routes, semiconductors, or critical minerals. It will increasingly revolve around a more fundamental question: Who writes the rules governing artificial intelligence?
Artificial intelligence is rapidly becoming the world’s most consequential strategic technology. While much attention has focused on the race to develop increasingly powerful AI models, an equally significant contest is unfolding over global AI governance. The countries and institutions that establish AI norms, standards, and regulatory frameworks will shape not only technological progress but also economic competitiveness, digital sovereignty, and geopolitical influence.
While much attention has focused on the race to develop increasingly powerful AI models, an equally significant contest is unfolding over global AI governance.
Recent developments in Shanghai show that this competition has entered a new phase. At the World Artificial Intelligence Conference (WAIC), Chinese President Xi Jinping called for a more inclusive AI governance framework, warning against technological monopolies and advocating equitable access to AI for developing countries. China also launched the World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organisation (WAICO) as a platform for international cooperation with strong participation from the Global South. For Pakistan, this development carries significance far beyond technology. Its decision to become a founding member of WAICO marks the beginning of a new phase in Pakistan-China relations, where digital cooperation, AI, and technology governance complement the infrastructure and connectivity agenda established under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). Pakistan’s participation also reflects its desire to promote equitable AI access, capacity building, and the interests of developing countries.
This transition is both timely and necessary.
Over the past decade, CPEC transformed Pakistan’s physical infrastructure through investments in transport and energy. Today, however, economic competitiveness increasingly depends on digital infrastructure, cloud computing, data governance, and artificial intelligence. If CPEC 1.0 focused on physical connectivity, the next phase should prioritise innovation, knowledge, and emerging technologies. The shift also reflects broader geopolitical realities. AI has become an instrument of strategic competition. The United States emphasises innovation and private-sector leadership while strengthening national security safeguards. The European Union promotes a rules-based model centred on transparency and fundamental rights. China is advancing an alternative approach that combines state-supported innovation with international cooperation and greater participation by developing countries.
For the Global South, however, the challenge is not simply choosing between competing models. It is ensuring a meaningful voice in shaping the rules themselves. Historically, developing countries have often entered global governance systems only after standards were written by advanced economies. In trade, finance, and digital technologies, many became rule-takers rather than rule-makers. AI presents an opportunity to change that pattern.
Pakistan should therefore approach AI governance as an issue of strategic diplomacy rather than technology alone. Participation in WAICO offers an opportunity to contribute to discussions on ethical AI, cybersecurity, data governance, digital inclusion, and technology access. Active engagement today can help ensure that future global standards better reflect the priorities of developing economies. At the same time, Pakistan should avoid aligning exclusively with any single geopolitical bloc. Its longstanding policy of balanced diplomacy should guide its AI strategy as well. Cooperation with China should continue, while engagement with the United Nations, the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, and other multilateral forums should also be strengthened. International influence ultimately depends on domestic capacity. Pakistan cannot shape global AI governance without investing in its own digital ecosystem. Universities should expand AI research, policymakers should establish robust data protection and AI ethics frameworks, and industry should be encouraged to develop indigenous AI applications. Investment in digital infrastructure, computing capacity, and human capital will determine whether Pakistan remains a consumer of AI or becomes a meaningful contributor.
The private sector must also play a larger role. Pakistan’s IT industry, startups, and freelancing community have demonstrated considerable potential. With supportive policies and targeted investment, they can become key drivers of the country’s emerging AI economy. The debate over AI is ultimately about more than technology. It concerns economic power, digital sovereignty, and geopolitical influence. Those who shape AI governance today will help define tomorrow’s international order. Pakistan’s entry into WAICO should therefore be viewed as the beginning, not the culmination, of its AI journey. The country’s objective should not simply be access to advanced technologies but meaningful participation in writing the rules that will govern them. Achieving that goal will require strategic vision, stronger domestic capabilities, and sustained diplomatic engagement.
The writer is a career journalist, Strategic Communication & narrative Specialist and IR Scholar based in Islamabad. Email s [email protected]