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China unveils global AI governance action plan framework

Chinese authorities outline 13-point international cooperation framework addressing AI safety, infrastructure, and data standards.

Luis Rijo

• 17 min read
China AI governance global cooperation cityscape with digital networks and technology symbols
China AI governance global cooperation cityscape with digital networks and technology symbols

China published the Global AI Governance Action Plan on July 26, 2025, establishing a comprehensive framework for international cooperation on artificial intelligence development and governance. The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs released the 13-point action plan through the 2025 World Artificial Intelligence Conference and High-Level Meeting on Global AI Governance, addressing critical challenges in AI safety, infrastructure development, and data standards.

According to the document, the action plan seeks to "fully unleash the potential of AI while ensuring its safety, reliability, controllability, and fairness." The framework emphasizes global solidarity as essential for managing what the authors describe as "unprecedented opportunities for development" alongside "unprecedented risks and challenges" in the AI era.

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The Chinese-led plan addresses multiple technical and governance dimensions. Infrastructure development represents a central focus, with China calling for accelerated construction of global clean power, next-generation networks, intelligent computing power, and data centers. According to the framework, these efforts must "promote the establishment of a unified computing power standard system" while supporting developing nations in accessing AI technologies.

Technical standards emerge as another priority area. The plan advocates for increased dialogue among standard-setting bodies and emphasizes the role of international organizations including the International Telecommunication Union, the International Organization for Standardization, and the International Electrotechnical Commission. According to the document, these efforts aim to "establish a scientific, transparent, and inclusive normative framework in the field of AI."

Data governance receives extensive attention within the framework. The plan calls for developing "high-quality data sets to provide more nourishment for AI development" while safeguarding personal privacy and data security. According to the authors, this includes exploring "the construction of a global mechanism/platform for data sharing" and actively working to "enhance the diversity of AI data corpora, eliminate discrimination and bias."

Environmental considerations factor prominently in the governance framework. The document advocates for "sustainable AI" and supports "continuous exploration and innovation in resource-saving and environmentally friendly AI development models." Specific measures include jointly establishing "AI energy and water efficiency standards" and promoting "green computing technologies such as low-power chips and efficient algorithms."

The plan addresses industry applications across multiple sectors. According to the framework, AI should be promoted in "industrial manufacturing, consumption, commercial circulation, health care, education, agriculture, poverty alleviation, and other fields." The document specifically mentions pushing for integration in "scenarios such as autonomous driving and smart cities" while fostering "a diverse, healthy, and AI-for-good application ecosystem."

Safety governance represents a critical component of the action plan. The framework calls for conducting "timely risk assessment of AI and propose targeted prevention and response measures to establish a widely recognized safety governance framework." According to the document, this includes exploring "categorized and tiered management approaches" and building "a risk testing and evaluation system for AI."

Open-source development receives significant attention in the governance framework. The plan advocates for building "cross-border open-source communities and secure, reliable open-source platforms" while facilitating "the open sharing of basic resources" to "lower the thresholds of technological innovation and application." According to the authors, these efforts should "avoid redundant investment and resource waste" while enhancing "the inclusiveness and accessibility of AI technology services."

The Chinese framework establishes specific mechanisms for international cooperation. According to the document, this includes supporting "the establishment and early operation of two mechanisms under the U.N. framework—the Independent International Scientific Panel on AI and the Global Dialogue on AI Governance." These bodies would "facilitate meaningful discussions on global AI governance, particularly in advancing the safe, fair and inclusive development of AI."

China's capacity building proposals target developing nations specifically. The plan calls for "leading countries in AI to take concrete actions" including "collaborating on AI infrastructure development, establishing joint laboratories together, building mutual recognition platforms for safety assessment." According to the framework, these efforts should "support developing countries in enhancing their comprehensive capacity building in AI innovation, application, and governance."

Public sector leadership represents another key element. According to the document, "public sectors should become leaders and pacesetters in the application and governance of AI" by "actively prioritize the deployment of reliable AI in public services such as healthcare, education, and transportation." The framework emphasizes conducting regular safety assessments while respecting intellectual property rights.

China's action plan establishes governance models emphasizing multi-stakeholder participation. According to the authors, this includes "the establishment of inclusive governance platforms based on public interests and the joint participation of relevant entities." The framework encourages "AI enterprises from different countries to engage in dialogue and exchanges" while promoting "innovation, application, as well as ethical and safety cooperation in specific domains and scenarios."

Implications for marketing industry

China's action plan carries significant implications for the marketing community, particularly as artificial intelligence becomes increasingly central to advertising operations. The framework's emphasis on safety standards and governance mechanisms directly addresses concerns highlighted in recent industry research. One in five AI responses for PPC strategy contain inaccuracies, according to a comprehensive study testing artificial intelligence tools for pay-per-click advertising guidance.

The plan's focus on data governance and quality standards aligns with growing industry demands for transparency in AI implementation. Integral Ad Science became the first company to receive ethical AI certification from the Alliance for Audited Media, reflecting mounting pressure for validated AI governance frameworks in advertising technology.

Marketing professionals face increasing challenges in AI adoption despite technological advances. Performance marketing basics remain challenging despite AI advances, with industry analysis revealing that up to 25% of performance media spend is being misallocated across digital advertising campaigns due to fundamental operational issues.

China's governance framework's international cooperation mechanisms may influence how marketing platforms develop AI capabilities. AI and digital channels emerge as top priorities in 2025 advertising outlook, with 68% of marketers planning to increase social media spending while generative AI surpasses Connected TV as a leading consumer trend.

Technical implementation challenges

The complexity of implementing China's standardized AI governance across diverse marketing applications. The action plan's call for "categorized and tiered management approaches" reflects the varied risk profiles of different AI applications in advertising, from automated bidding systems to creative generation tools.

The framework's emphasis on open-source development could significantly impact marketing technology vendors. Recent developments demonstrate both opportunities and risks in this approach. Marketing agency proves AI responses can be manipulated through targeted content, with controlled experiments showing that artificial intelligence responses can be strategically influenced through targeted content placement using expired domains with minimal authority.

Data quality standards outlined in China's action plan address fundamental challenges facing marketing professionals. The framework's call for "high-quality data sets" and efforts to "eliminate discrimination and bias" directly relates to ongoing accuracy issues in AI-powered marketing tools across major platforms including ChatGPT, Google AI Overviews, and Meta AI.

Environmental considerations specified in China's governance framework may influence marketing technology infrastructure decisions. The plan's advocacy for "green computing technologies such as low-power chips and efficient algorithms" aligns with growing concerns about the environmental impact of AI systems used in programmatic advertising and real-time bidding operations.

Global implementation timeline

China's action plan establishes mechanisms for ongoing coordination but does not specify mandatory implementation deadlines. According to the document, the framework aims to support "the implementation of the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development" while addressing global challenges through AI empowerment.

International standards organizations mentioned in the plan include the International Telecommunication Union, the International Organization for Standardization, and the International Electrotechnical Commission. These bodies would play crucial roles in developing technical standards that could affect marketing technology platforms and advertising measurement systems.

China's framework emphasizes developing nation participation and may influence global marketing strategies. According to the plan, efforts should "assist the Global South in truly accessing and utilizing AI" while promoting "AI development in an inclusive and universally-beneficial manner." This could affect how multinational marketing campaigns incorporate AI-powered targeting and optimization across different regions.

Recent industry developments suggest varying approaches to AI governance implementation. Artificial intelligence providers adopt contrasting news licensing strategies, with Google partnering with The Associated Press for real-time news content while OpenAI faces legal challenges over content usage.

China's action plan multi-stakeholder governance model reflects current industry trends toward collaborative AI development. IBM drives agentic AI adoption through Reddit marketing campaign, demonstrating how technology companies are using community engagement to promote enterprise AI platforms while addressing implementation concerns.

Industry response and future outlook

Marketing technology vendors will likely need to adapt their AI development strategies to align with China's governance framework principles. The plan's emphasis on "safety, reliability, controllability, and fairness" establishes evaluation criteria that could influence how advertising platforms develop and deploy AI features.

China's framework call for "open sharing of development resources such as technical documentation and API documentation" may affect competitive dynamics in marketing technology. Current industry trends show mixed results in AI search impact, with marketing concerns over AI search potentially overblown according to research showing 56% of marketers reporting traffic increases since AI Overviews launch.

Professional development implications emerge from China's action plan capacity building components. The framework calls for "organizing education and training programs for AI capacity building" which could influence how marketing professionals develop AI-related skills and certifications.

China's governance framework arrives as major technology companies expand AI capabilities across marketing platforms. Google Marketing Live 2025 unveiled AI-powered ad innovations, with particular emphasis on AI applications as a competitive advantage for marketers utilizing automated bidding strategies and creative optimization tools.

According to the document, China's action plan represents a foundational step toward establishing "an inclusive, open, sustainable, fair, safe, and secure digital and intelligent future for all." The framework's implementation will likely influence how AI governance principles are integrated into marketing technology development and deployment across global advertising ecosystems.

Global AI Governance Action Plan

Artificial intelligence (AI) is a new frontier in human development. It is a key driving force of the ongoing scientific and technological revolution as well as industrial transformation, and an international public good that benefits humanity. AI presents unprecedented opportunities for development, and it also brings unprecedented risks and challenges. In the AI era, only through global solidarity can we fully unleash the potential of AI while ensuring its safety, reliability, controllability, and fairness, and ultimately deliver on the commitments outlined in the United Nations Pact for the Future and its annex: the Global Digital Compact, create an inclusive, open, sustainable, fair, safe, and secure digital and intelligent future for all.

To this end, we hereby put forward the Global AI Governance Action Plan, calling on all parties to take concrete and effective actions in advancing global AI development and governance based on the objectives and principles of promoting AI for good and in service of humanity, respecting national sovereignty, aligning with development goals, ensuring safety and controllability, upholding fairness and inclusiveness, and fostering open cooperation.

1. Jointly seizing the opportunities of AI. We call for the active participation and collaboration of all stakeholders, including governments, international organizations, enterprises, research institutions, social organizations, and individual citizens to accelerate the development of digital infrastructure, jointly explore cutting-edge innovations in AI technology, promote worldwide adoption and application of AI, and maximize AI’s huge potential in empowering global economic and social development, supporting the implementation of the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and addressing global challenges.

2. Promoting the innovative development of AI. In the spirit of openness and sharing, we encourage efforts of bold experimentation and exploration. We need to establish various international platforms for scientific and technological cooperation, foster an innovation-friendly policy environment, strengthen policy and regulatory coordination, promote technological collaboration and the transformation of research outcomes, and reduce and remove technology barriers. We need to jointly push for innovation breakthroughs and sustained development in AI technology, deeply explore open application scenarios for “AI Plus,” and take global AI innovation and development to a higher level.

3. Advancing AI empowerment across industries. We need to promote AI application in industrial manufacturing, consumption, commercial circulation, health care, education, agriculture, poverty alleviation, and other fields, push for the integration of AI in scenarios such as autonomous driving and smart cities, and foster a diverse, healthy, and AI-for-good application ecosystem. We need to promote the construction and sharing of intelligent infrastructure, carry out cross-border AI application cooperation, exchange best practices, and jointly explore ways to promote AI empowerment across all sectors of the real economy.

4. Accelerating digital infrastructure construction.We need to speed up the construction of global clean power, next-generation networks, intelligent computing power, data centers and other infrastructure, improve the layout of interoperable AI and digital infrastructure, and promote the establishment of a unified computing power standard system. We need to support countries, especially the Global South, in developing AI technologies and services in line with their national conditions, assist the Global South in truly accessing and utilizing AI, and promote AI development in an inclusive and universally-beneficial manner.

5. Creating a diverse, open, and innovative ecosystem. We need to fully leverage the respective role of multiple stakeholders, including governments, industries and academia, as well as various mechanisms and platforms to jointly promote international exchanges and dialogue on AI governance. We need to build cross-border open-source communities and secure, reliable open-source platforms, facilitate the open sharing of basic resources, lower the thresholds of technological innovation and application, avoid redundant investment and resource waste, and enhance the inclusiveness and accessibility of AI technology services. We need to promote the development of an open-source compliance system, clarify and implement the technical safety guidelines for open-source communities, and promote the open sharing of development resources such as technical documentation and API documentation. We need to strengthen the open-source ecosystem by enhancing compatibility, adaptation, and inter-connectivity between upstream and downstream products, and enable the open flow of non-sensitive technology resources.

6. Actively promoting the supply of high-quality data. We need to drive the development of AI with high-quality data, collaborate to facilitate the lawful, orderly and free flow of data, explore the construction of a global mechanism/platform for data sharing, and jointly create high-quality data sets to provide more nourishment for AI development. At the same time, we need to actively safeguard personal privacy and data security, enhance the diversity of AI data corpora, eliminate discrimination and bias, and promote, protect, and preserve the diversity of the AI ecosystem and human civilization.

7.Effectively addressing energy and environmental issues. We advocate the concept of sustainable AI, support continuous exploration and innovation in resource-saving and environmentally friendly AI development models, jointly establish AI energy and water efficiency standards, and promote green computing technologies such as low-power chips and efficient algorithms. We encourage dialogue and cooperation on energy-saving AI development to jointly identify optimal solutions. We need to promote AI’s empowerment of green transformation and development, climate change response, biodiversity and other fields, expand the application of AI technologies in related areas, strengthen international cooperation, and share best practices.

8.Promoting common understanding on standards and norms. We support more dialogue among standard-setting bodies of states and the role of international standards organizations such as the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), and the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC), and emphasize the role of the industry in accelerating the formulation and revision of technical standards in key areas such as security, industry and ethics, so as to establish a scientific, transparent, and inclusive normative framework in the field of AI. We need to actively eliminate algorithmic bias, balance technological progress, risk prevention, and social ethics, and enhance the inclusivity and interoperability of the standards system.

9.Spearheading deployment and application by the public sector. Public sectors should become leaders and pacesetters in the application and governance of AI, actively prioritize the deployment of reliable AI in public services such as healthcare, education, and transportation, and strengthen international exchanges and cooperation. At the same time, assessment of the safety of the aforementioned AI systems should be conducted regularly, and intellectual property rights such as patents and software copyrights respected. We need to strictly enforce data and privacy protection, actively explore lawful and orderly transactions of training data, jointly promote the opening and utilization of data compliant with rules and regulations, and enhance public management and services.

10.Advancing the governance of AI safety. We need to conduct timely risk assessment of AI and propose targeted prevention and response measures to establish a widely recognized safety governance framework. We need to explore categorized and tiered management approaches, build a risk testing and evaluation system for AI, and promote the sharing of information as well as the development of emergency response of AI safety risks and threats. We need to improve data security and personal information protection standards, and strengthen the management of data security in processes such as the collection of training data and model generation. We need to increase investment in technological research and development, implement secure development standards, and enhance the interpretability, transparency, and safety of AI. We need to explore traceability management systems for AI services to prevent the misuse and abuse of AI technologies. We need to advocate for the establishment of open platforms to share best practices and promote international cooperation on AI safety governance worldwide.

11.Jointly implementing the Global Digital Compact. We need to actively fulfill the commitments outlined in the United Nations Pact for the Future and its annex, the Global Digital Compact. We need to take the U.N. as the main channel, work for the goal of helping developing countries bridge the digital divide and achieve equitable and inclusive development, and promote the establishment of an inclusive and fair multilateral global digital governance system based on complying with international law and respecting for national sovereignty and developmental differences. We need to support the establishment and early operation of two mechanisms under the U.N. framework—the Independent International Scientific Panel on AI and the Global Dialogue on AI Governance—to facilitate meaningful discussions on global AI governance, particularly in advancing the safe, fair and inclusive development of AI.

12.Strengthening international cooperation on AI capacity building. We need to place international cooperation on AI capacity building high on the agenda of global AI governance, and encourage leading countries in AI to take concrete actions, such as collaborating on AI infrastructure development, establishing joint laboratories together, building mutual recognition platforms for safety assessment, organizing education and training programs for AI capacity building, facilitating supply-demand matchmaking events for the AI industry, and jointly developing high-quality AI datasets and corpora, to support developing countries in enhancing their comprehensive capacity building in AI innovation, application, and governance. We need to work together to improve public AI literacy and skills, with special attention to safeguarding and strengthening the digital and intelligent rights and interests of women and children, to bridge the AI divide.

13. Building an inclusive multi-stakeholder governance model. We support the establishment of inclusive governance platforms based on public interests and the joint participation of relevant entities. We encourage AI enterprises from different countries to engage in dialogue and exchanges, learn from each other’s application practices in various fields of AI, and promote innovation, application, as well as ethical and safety cooperation in specific domains and scenarios. We encourage research think tanks and international forums to create global and regional platforms for exchange and collaboration, to ensure that AI researchers, developers, and governance departments from across the world maintain communication on technology and policy.

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Timeline

We Explain

Artificial Intelligence (AI): Advanced computational systems designed to perform tasks that typically require human intelligence, including learning, reasoning, problem-solving, and decision-making. According to China's action plan, AI represents "a new frontier in human development" and serves as "a key driving force of the ongoing scientific and technological revolution as well as industrial transformation." The framework positions AI as an international public good that benefits humanity while acknowledging both unprecedented opportunities and risks requiring careful governance and international cooperation.

AI Governance: The comprehensive framework of policies, standards, regulations, and oversight mechanisms designed to ensure artificial intelligence systems operate safely, ethically, and transparently. China's action plan emphasizes governance as essential for managing AI's potential while ensuring "safety, reliability, controllability, and fairness." This includes establishing risk assessment protocols, safety testing systems, and international cooperation mechanisms to prevent misuse while promoting beneficial applications across industries and societies.

Global AI Governance Action Plan: China's 13-point framework published July 26, 2025, establishing international cooperation principles for AI development and deployment. The plan addresses infrastructure development, safety standards, data governance, environmental sustainability, open-source collaboration, and capacity building for developing nations. According to the document, the framework aims to "fully unleash the potential of AI while ensuring its safety, reliability, controllability, and fairness" through coordinated global efforts.

Infrastructure Development: The construction and deployment of technical systems necessary to support AI operations, including clean power generation, next-generation networks, intelligent computing power, and data centers. China's framework calls for accelerating global infrastructure construction and establishing "a unified computing power standard system." This includes supporting developing countries in building AI capabilities and ensuring equitable access to the technological foundation required for AI implementation across various sectors and applications.

Data Governance: The management, protection, and utilization frameworks for data used in AI systems, encompassing quality standards, privacy protection, security measures, and sharing mechanisms. China's plan advocates for developing "high-quality data sets to provide more nourishment for AI development" while actively safeguarding personal privacy and data security. The framework includes exploring global data sharing platforms and eliminating discrimination and bias in AI data corpora to ensure diverse and representative training materials.

Marketing Technology: Digital platforms, software systems, and automated tools used by marketing professionals to plan, execute, measure, and optimize advertising campaigns and customer engagement strategies. The intersection of AI governance with marketing technology addresses accuracy concerns in AI-powered advertising tools, automated bidding systems, creative optimization platforms, and campaign management software. Recent industry research shows significant challenges in AI implementation, with accuracy issues affecting strategic decision-making across major advertising platforms.

Safety Standards: Technical specifications, testing protocols, and evaluation criteria designed to ensure AI systems operate without causing harm to individuals, organizations, or society. China's framework calls for conducting "timely risk assessment of AI and propose targeted prevention and response measures to establish a widely recognized safety governance framework." This includes categorized management approaches, risk testing systems, and emergency response protocols for AI safety threats while promoting information sharing among international stakeholders.

International Cooperation: Collaborative efforts among nations, organizations, and stakeholders to address shared challenges and opportunities in AI development and governance. China's action plan establishes mechanisms including the Independent International Scientific Panel on AI and Global Dialogue on AI Governance under U.N. framework. The cooperation model emphasizes supporting developing countries through joint laboratories, mutual recognition platforms, education programs, and technology transfer initiatives to bridge the global AI divide.

Open-Source Development: Collaborative software development models where source code, documentation, and resources are freely available for modification, distribution, and improvement by global communities. China's framework advocates for building "cross-border open-source communities and secure, reliable open-source platforms" to facilitate resource sharing, lower innovation barriers, and enhance AI accessibility. This includes developing compliance systems, technical safety guidelines, and compatibility standards to strengthen the open-source AI ecosystem.

Multi-Stakeholder Governance: Decision-making and oversight models that include diverse participants from government, industry, academia, civil society, and international organizations in AI governance processes. China's plan supports "the establishment of inclusive governance platforms based on public interests and the joint participation of relevant entities." This approach encourages dialogue among AI enterprises, research institutions, and governance departments worldwide to ensure comprehensive representation in technology development and policy formation affecting global AI implementation.

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Summary

Who: China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs through the 2025 World Artificial Intelligence Conference and High-Level Meeting on Global AI Governance published the comprehensive framework targeting governments, international organizations, enterprises, research institutions, social organizations, and individual citizens globally.

What: A 13-point Global AI Governance Action Plan establishing international cooperation mechanisms for AI development covering safety standards, infrastructure construction, data governance, environmental sustainability, open-source development, capacity building, and multi-stakeholder governance models.

When: The action plan was published on July 26, 2025, following the conference proceedings and represents implementation of commitments outlined in the United Nations Pact for the Future and Global Digital Compact.

Where: The framework applies globally with particular emphasis on supporting developing nations and the Global South in accessing AI technologies, while establishing mechanisms under U.N. framework including Independent International Scientific Panel on AI and Global Dialogue on AI Governance.

Why: The plan addresses "unprecedented opportunities for development" and "unprecedented risks and challenges" in artificial intelligence, aiming to unleash AI potential while ensuring safety, reliability, controllability, and fairness through global solidarity and coordinated governance approaches.