Chinese tech sector’s open-source approach significant for future of AI development, governance: former UN official
Editor's Note:
This year marks the 10th anniversary of the proposal of the concept of "jointly building a community of shared future in cyberspace." Recently, Global Times (GT) reporter Ma Jingjing interviewed Jovan Kurbalija (Kurbalija), executive director of DiploFoundation, head of Geneva Internet Platform, and former executive director of the UN High-Level Panel on Digital Cooperation, who shared his insights into the concept of "jointly building a community of shared future in cyberspace" and the implications of this concept for and China's contributions to global cyberspace governance.
GT: The year 2025 marks the 10th anniversary of the concept of "jointly building a community with a shared future in cyberspace." Combining with your own experience and international practices, please share your understanding of the concept of "jointly building a community of shared future in cyberspace."
Kurbalija: Digital cooperation is well described by these three keywords: jointly, community, and shared. The open-source approach is a highly successful example of digital cooperation among thousands of tech enthusiasts worldwide who collaborate on the same code, share their knowledge and solutions, and, in the process, create a community. Open-source cooperation has been at every turning point of our digital history, from internet protocols - the very foundation of the internet - through web protocols to platforms such as Linux.
The story of the internet is fundamentally the story of cooperation in setting technical standards, developing e-commerce, and governing the digital realm.
Open-source AI is likely to shape the "shared future" as outlined in the Pact for the Future and other UN declarations on AI and digitalization. In this process, the dividing line between the real and cyberspace is becoming increasingly blurred. Thus, cyberspace, the last keyword in the concept, may soon become just "space."
GT: In today's world, how to address the development deficit, resolving security dilemmas, and enhancing mutual learning among civilizations have become shared challenges for all countries. In your view, what are the major obstacles hindering international cooperation in cyberspace? What insights does the concept of "jointly building a community of shared future in cyberspace" offer for global AI and digital governance?
Kurbalija: The obstacles to digital cooperation reflect the tensions and conflicts of the modern era. AI and digital technologies are at the nexus of many societal transitions, affecting families, countries, and humanity as a whole. Modern technologies not only amplify opportunities but also increase risks and tensions in geopolitical competition and conflicts worldwide.
Thus, AI and digital governance should focus on widening the space for cooperation and enabling the use of technology while containing growing risks. This approach underlies many UN and international initiatives on the governance of technologies.
GT: From a global perspective, what's the significance of promoting a more inclusive and prosperous cyberspace, especially for developing countries?
Kurbalija: It is absolutely critical. Inclusivity is a precondition for overall prosperity. Inclusivity begins with digital access, which remains a universal challenge, as one-third of humanity remains unconnected. But, for inclusivity to be meaningful, it requires much more than technical connectivity. It requires new skills, access to the market, and participation in digital governance, extending from citizens to the UN. The success of inclusivity is measured by not leaving behind, in particular, youth, marginalized communities, and people with disabilities.
The critical pillar for meaningful inclusion is education and capacity building, which can help humanity harness the benefits of technology and put citizens and communities at the center of digital and AI growth.
Affordable open-source AI solutions are critical for the AI transformation of societies worldwide.
GT: In recent years, China has actively promoted the integration of AI innovations and industrial innovations, with the emergence of a batch of leading AI firms like DeepSeek. What's your view on China's innovation potential and the opportunities it creates for the rest of the world?
Kurbalija: Open-source AI models developed by DeepSeek and other Chinese platforms have had the most profound impact on global AI developments. Since January 20, when the DeepSeek model was launched, an open-source approach has reshaped the global AI landscape, previously dominated by proprietary models.
In this pivotal AI wave of 2025, a number of countries have placed open source at the center of their AI strategies. This trend provides some hope that we will build AI on inclusive, transparent, and reliable technical foundations, as has been the case with the internet and the web. In this context, the shift toward open-source AI, championed by the Chinese tech sector, is a significant historical development with far-reaching implications for the future of AI development and governance.
GT: In September 2025, China put forward the Global Governance Initiative. In your view, how will the initiative drive the joint building of a community of shared future in cyberspace to a new phase?
Kurbalija: There are many challenges ahead of us as AI transforms society from education to jobs and entertainment. In my view, the main challenge of this and other initiatives worldwide will be to anchor cutting-edge AI and tech developments into a deeper cultural and societal fabric. As we search for a new social contract for the AI future, we have to look backwards to the societal roots to see far forward.
In this context, China can contribute with its rich philosophical tradition, as was shown last summer during the remarkable Global Dialogue on AI, Philosophy and Governance tour in Jiaxing, East China's Zhejiang Province, when a group of thinkers reflected on the relevance of Confucianism, Taoism, and other traditions for modern AI developments. Although many view China's tech development primarily through its leading apps, robots, and cutting-edge tools, I would also focus on the philosophical and cultural reservoirs of creativity that will shape the forthcoming AI transformation.
This search for deeper inspiration for AI development is not unique to China. Societies worldwide seek cultural, creative, and intellectual roots as a compass in navigating the uncertainty of the forthcoming AI transformation. Increasingly, AI boils down to education and thinking traditions, as bridge-building exercises that will help us understand how humanity at large has many more things in common than it may appear at times of tensions and conflicts.
This year marks the 10th anniversary of the proposal of the concept of "jointly building a community of shared future in cyberspace." Recently, Global Times (GT) reporter Ma Jingjing interviewed Jovan Kurbalija (Kurbalija), executive director of DiploFoundation, head of Geneva Internet Platform, and former executive director of the UN High-Level Panel on Digital Cooperation, who shared his insights into the concept of "jointly building a community of shared future in cyberspace" and the implications of this concept for and China's contributions to global cyberspace governance.
Caption: Jovan Kurbalija Photo: Courtesy of Jovan Kurbalija
GT: The year 2025 marks the 10th anniversary of the concept of "jointly building a community with a shared future in cyberspace." Combining with your own experience and international practices, please share your understanding of the concept of "jointly building a community of shared future in cyberspace."
Kurbalija: Digital cooperation is well described by these three keywords: jointly, community, and shared. The open-source approach is a highly successful example of digital cooperation among thousands of tech enthusiasts worldwide who collaborate on the same code, share their knowledge and solutions, and, in the process, create a community. Open-source cooperation has been at every turning point of our digital history, from internet protocols - the very foundation of the internet - through web protocols to platforms such as Linux.
The story of the internet is fundamentally the story of cooperation in setting technical standards, developing e-commerce, and governing the digital realm.
Open-source AI is likely to shape the "shared future" as outlined in the Pact for the Future and other UN declarations on AI and digitalization. In this process, the dividing line between the real and cyberspace is becoming increasingly blurred. Thus, cyberspace, the last keyword in the concept, may soon become just "space."
GT: In today's world, how to address the development deficit, resolving security dilemmas, and enhancing mutual learning among civilizations have become shared challenges for all countries. In your view, what are the major obstacles hindering international cooperation in cyberspace? What insights does the concept of "jointly building a community of shared future in cyberspace" offer for global AI and digital governance?
Kurbalija: The obstacles to digital cooperation reflect the tensions and conflicts of the modern era. AI and digital technologies are at the nexus of many societal transitions, affecting families, countries, and humanity as a whole. Modern technologies not only amplify opportunities but also increase risks and tensions in geopolitical competition and conflicts worldwide.
Thus, AI and digital governance should focus on widening the space for cooperation and enabling the use of technology while containing growing risks. This approach underlies many UN and international initiatives on the governance of technologies.
GT: From a global perspective, what's the significance of promoting a more inclusive and prosperous cyberspace, especially for developing countries?
Kurbalija: It is absolutely critical. Inclusivity is a precondition for overall prosperity. Inclusivity begins with digital access, which remains a universal challenge, as one-third of humanity remains unconnected. But, for inclusivity to be meaningful, it requires much more than technical connectivity. It requires new skills, access to the market, and participation in digital governance, extending from citizens to the UN. The success of inclusivity is measured by not leaving behind, in particular, youth, marginalized communities, and people with disabilities.
The critical pillar for meaningful inclusion is education and capacity building, which can help humanity harness the benefits of technology and put citizens and communities at the center of digital and AI growth.
Affordable open-source AI solutions are critical for the AI transformation of societies worldwide.
GT: In recent years, China has actively promoted the integration of AI innovations and industrial innovations, with the emergence of a batch of leading AI firms like DeepSeek. What's your view on China's innovation potential and the opportunities it creates for the rest of the world?
Kurbalija: Open-source AI models developed by DeepSeek and other Chinese platforms have had the most profound impact on global AI developments. Since January 20, when the DeepSeek model was launched, an open-source approach has reshaped the global AI landscape, previously dominated by proprietary models.
In this pivotal AI wave of 2025, a number of countries have placed open source at the center of their AI strategies. This trend provides some hope that we will build AI on inclusive, transparent, and reliable technical foundations, as has been the case with the internet and the web. In this context, the shift toward open-source AI, championed by the Chinese tech sector, is a significant historical development with far-reaching implications for the future of AI development and governance.
GT: In September 2025, China put forward the Global Governance Initiative. In your view, how will the initiative drive the joint building of a community of shared future in cyberspace to a new phase?
Kurbalija: There are many challenges ahead of us as AI transforms society from education to jobs and entertainment. In my view, the main challenge of this and other initiatives worldwide will be to anchor cutting-edge AI and tech developments into a deeper cultural and societal fabric. As we search for a new social contract for the AI future, we have to look backwards to the societal roots to see far forward.
In this context, China can contribute with its rich philosophical tradition, as was shown last summer during the remarkable Global Dialogue on AI, Philosophy and Governance tour in Jiaxing, East China's Zhejiang Province, when a group of thinkers reflected on the relevance of Confucianism, Taoism, and other traditions for modern AI developments. Although many view China's tech development primarily through its leading apps, robots, and cutting-edge tools, I would also focus on the philosophical and cultural reservoirs of creativity that will shape the forthcoming AI transformation.
This search for deeper inspiration for AI development is not unique to China. Societies worldwide seek cultural, creative, and intellectual roots as a compass in navigating the uncertainty of the forthcoming AI transformation. Increasingly, AI boils down to education and thinking traditions, as bridge-building exercises that will help us understand how humanity at large has many more things in common than it may appear at times of tensions and conflicts.
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