World Conference on Artificial Intelligence 2025 (WAIC Shanghai)
On 27 July 2025, Blockchain Alliance International, led by its Executive President Ambassador Alexandru Cujba, participated in the World Conference on Artificial Intelligence (WCAI) 2025 in Shanghai – one of the world’s most influential global platforms on artificial intelligence, innovation, and digital governance. Convening senior policymakers, scientists, entrepreneurs, international organizations, and technology leaders, WCAI serves as a critical forum for shaping global dialogue on the responsible, inclusive, and future-oriented development of AI.
Ambassador Cujba delivered a keynote speech at the Forum “AI for SMEs – Artificial Intelligence Empowers Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises,” organized by the China Association of Small and Medium Enterprises (CASME). Moderated by Mr. Zhu Yu of CASME, the Forum brought together scientists, practitioners, and business leaders to examine how SMEs – often the most dynamic drivers of innovation – can both develop and effectively deploy AI applications to enhance productivity, competitiveness, and sustainable growth.
The Forum featured high-level interventions from leading experts, including Mr. Wu Zhongze, former Vice Minister of the Ministry of Science and Technology of China, who spoke on “AI+ Empowering SMEs to Develop New Quality Productivity Forces,” and Mr. Fan Wenfei, Chief Scientist of the Shenzhen Institute of Computer Science and Foreign Academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, who addressed “Breaking the Limitations of Large Models: Full-Stack AI for Logical Inference and Machine Learning.” Business leaders and CEOs further debated how AI is reshaping productivity, innovation systems, business practices, and digital ecosystems, while identifying pathways to support SMEs in their transition toward digital intelligence.
In his address titled “AI: From Global Perspectives to Future Partnerships,” Ambassador Cujba offered a UN-centered perspective on the rapid evolution of artificial intelligence and its growing role in global governance, development, and economic transformation. Drawing on over two decades of experience within the United Nations system, he highlighted ongoing UN initiatives on AI ethics, governance, and capacity-building, warning of the risks posed by a widening global “AI divide.” He emphasized that SMEs – accounting for the majority of employment worldwide – must be placed at the center of AI strategies to ensure inclusive growth, equitable access to technology, and alignment with the Sustainable Development Goals.
Ambassador Cujba underlined that AI can be a powerful enabler for SMEs if deployed responsibly – lowering entry barriers, boosting productivity, improving market access, and supporting internationalization. However, he stressed that this promise depends on trustworthy AI, accessible platforms, public-private partnerships, and sustained investment in capacity-building and skills development, particularly in developing countries. These priorities closely align with UN-led efforts, the Global Digital Compact, and China’s AI capacity-building initiatives for global benefit.
A key outcome of the Forum was the launch of the “AI for SME Global Inclusive Development Initiative,” which calls for bridging digital and AI divides, promoting open-source technology sharing, advancing interoperable international standards, expanding access to inclusive AI financing, and strengthening global AI talent development ecosystems for SMEs. On the margins of the Conference, Ambassador Cujba and the BAI delegation held a productive meeting with CASME representatives, exploring opportunities for future collaboration in advancing inclusive AI adoption, SME empowerment, and international partnerships.
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