The International AI Cooperation and Governance Forum 2025 was recently held at the University of Melbourne, bringing together leading scholars, policymakers, industry executives, and representatives from various international organizations to discuss the role of global collaboration in shaping a safer, more inclusive AI future.
Co-hosted by Tsinghua University, the University of Melbourne, the National University of Singapore (NUS), and the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST), this year’s theme was “Inclusive AI: Who Builds, Who Benefits?”
Group photo of forum participants
The opening ceremony was chaired by Professor Jeannie Paterson, co-founding director of the Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Digital Ethics (CAIDE) at the University of Melbourne. Opening remarks were delivered by Jean Todt, the UN secretary-general’s special envoy for road safety; Tshilidzi Marwala, rector of the United Nations University (UNU) and UN under-secretary-general; and Yang Bin, vice chancellor of Tsinghua University Council.
Jean Todt outlined the current global road safety situation and introduced applications of AI technologies in areas such as risk detection and traffic management. Yang Bin highlighted ongoing efforts in AI education, research and international cooperation. Tshilidzi Marwala discussed the growing need for collaboration in AI ethics and governance and noted the importance of continued academic and policy exchange.
The plenary session, chaired by Professor Xue Lan, dean of Institute for AI International Governance of Tsinghua University (I-AIIG), featured leading voices, including Stuart Russell (UC Berkeley), Gong Ke (Haihe Laboratory of Information Technology Application Innovation), Jeannie Marie Paterson (University of Melbourne), Simon Chesterman (NUS), and Celine Yunya Song (HKUST).
Speakers introduced recent progress in national and regional AI strategies, developments in governance tools, and ongoing research initiatives. Topics discussed included regulatory approaches for high-risk systems, the development of integrated governance mechanisms, and the need for continued international dialogue.
Roundtable discussion session
The two-day forum featured a plenary session and seven thematic panels. Nearly 100 experts from China, Australia, Singapore, the United States, the United Kingdom, and New Zealand participated in the event, alongside representatives from the UN, leading universities, and major technology companies.
Editor: Li Han
