Cooperation is essential to the future of artificial intelligence (AI) because the complex technology functions as infrastructure requiring vast computing power, Russian AI expert Evgeny Burnaev said in Shanghai.
His remarks followed the close of the 2026 World Artificial Intelligence Conference and High-Level Meeting on Global AI Governance in Shanghai, a gathering that underscored cooperation as a central theme. With more than 100 countries and international organizations represented, the event highlighted how collaboration is becoming a prerequisite for advancing AI technologies.
Burnaev said the theme of "cooperation" is crucial because AI has evolved across key sectors, from healthcare and production to logistics and climate monitoring. He noted that such systems demand immense computing power, which makes collaboration indispensable.
"I have seen that the topic of the conference is about cooperation and for me this is very important. Let me explain. AI is a complex discipline. Nowadays, AI is not just a scientific field. It is not just some set of isolated digital projects. Nowadays, AI is an infrastructure, it is an infrastructure for healthcare, for production, for logistics, for climate monitoring. And it's not possible to construct a good infrastructure without preparation, right? AI [data handling] requires significant computing power and this should be done in cooperation," he said in an interview with China Media Group (CMG).
He added that the international community should take steps to narrow inequality in AI development, warning that current technologies risk amplifying gaps between countries.
"Of course, there is some danger that exists in inequality between countries in the world. They can be even amplified, maybe several times, maybe when several dozens of times by current AI technologies. And of course, it is very bad. I think some measures should be taken in order to stop this. First of all, we should have collaboration in fundamental education and fundamental research because in fundamental research there is no business competition, right? Results of fundamental research belong to everybody in some sense. The second thing is that we should establish international benchmarks, international approaches for engineering, standards for AI engineering. Otherwise, different critical systems may not work properly if they reuse some components from other countries," he said.
Cooperation vital as AI becomes global infrastructure: expert
