从创新迈向人工智能的影响力 - 2026-09-17

Before dawn on Aug 30, runners gathered on the streets of Kuala Lumpur to participate in the Malaysia Marathon 2026. Among them was an extraordinary participant who needed neither running shoes nor drinking water.

A Chinese-built humanoid robot set off from Pavilion Kuala Lumpur and completed the entire 10-kilometre course.

This remarkable feat occurred just days after the 2026 World Robot Conference in Beijing, where over 300 companies from across the world showcased more than 3,000 robots and related products, including 311 new products.

China's artificial intelligence industry is expanding rapidly. In 2025, the country's core AI industry exceeded 1.2 trillion yuan ($179 billion) and comprised more than 6,200 companies, according to the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology. What truly sets China apart is the speed with which innovations move from ideas to real-world applications.

Supported by an extensive industrial ecosystem, from sensors and batteries to factories and supply chains, China can rapidly test, improve and mass-produce AI products. China also leads in open-source AI, making powerful models available for others to download and adapt, lowering barriers for countries that lack the resources to develop their own technologies.

As technologies move from laboratories to factories, the focus must shift from what machines can do to whether they can enhance human capabilities, solve practical problems and enable more countries and people to share the benefits of progress. This requires responsible governance. China's establishment of the World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organization, of which Malaysia is a founding member, reflects a commitment to making AI safe, fair and beneficial worldwide.

Together with the World Data Organization and China's "AI Plus" International Cooperation Initiative, WAICO highlights China's effort to emphasize access, capacity-building and shared governance over mere technological advancement.

For Southeast Asia, this effort comes at a crucial moment. Analysts expected the digital economy of Southeast Asia to exceed $300 billion in gross merchandise value by 2025, potentially reaching $2 trillion by 2030 if the ASEAN Digital Economy Framework Agreement is fully implemented.

With its young population, diverse languages, and fast-growing markets, the 11-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations has huge potential for AI in agriculture, manufacturing, logistics, tourism, healthcare, and urban management, spelling rich opportunities for cooperation.

These opportunities, however, are not evenly shared.

While some ASEAN members have advanced infrastructure, strong research institutions, and a highly skilled workforce, others are still developing basic capacities, leading to different levels of technological readiness, national priorities, and perspectives on data and AI governance.

China and ASEAN are important partners. Stronger collaboration that takes into account the diverse languages, industries and development needs across ASEAN can help Chinese technologies better meet local conditions, foster practical AI applications, and build more resilient regional supply chains.

Deeper cooperation has become more important than ever.

In September 2025, both sides held their first ministerial-level roundtable on AI in Nanning, capital of China's Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, and began building the China-ASEAN Countries Artificial Intelligence Application Cooperation Center. This center focuses on improving infrastructure, creating open platforms, developing talent and promoting equitable access to AI technologies.

This January, China and ASEAN adopted a five-year plan to build a sustainable and inclusive digital ecosystem. By May, they established the China-ASEAN AI Industry Innovation Center, and efforts are underway to establish a digital academy this year.

While the progress in cooperation is promising, the benefits of AI are not automatic. Open-source AI models may reduce the cost of entry, but simply having access doesn't guarantee effective use.

Proper infrastructure, reliable local data, skilled professionals, and trusted governance are essential for free technology to deliver real impact.

Hence, China and ASEAN need to work together more closely to identify real-world challenges and develop AI solutions that make a tangible difference. Cooperation on the development of talent is also important, especially sustainable training programs that keep up with the rapid evolution of AI and help cultivate an AI-ready workforce.

Considering the diverse languages and cultures within ASEAN, both sides could strengthen collaboration to adapt AI products to meet the specific needs of different ASEAN member countries.

Enhanced cooperation is also necessary in governance to ensure the safety of AI technologies, the security of data and cybersecurity and help ASEAN become an active participant which shapes AI's future, instead of just a market for finished technologies.

The finish line in a marathon is not the destination for humanoid robots. The real test is putting them to work in everyday life. Though AI is advancing at a stunning speed, it is still in the early stages of a much longer journey. As technology crosses borders, so should knowledge, skills and responsibility.

The focus of AI cooperation should be on making people's lives better, such as adopting the technology to create better jobs, strengthen public services and expand opportunities for all, rather than creating new divides.

By moving from talking about AI to working together on AI, China and ASEAN can turn the technology into a bridge for shared progress.

Source: China Daily