"The project will integrate AI technology development, industrial applications and international governance to enhance the professional AI capabilities of young students," he said.

　　The enthusiasm and specific demands for Chinese AI technology, as observed by Pan, are not coincidental but deeply rooted in the unique institutional advantages and practical foundations for AI cooperation within the SCO, a point emphasized by Jiang Tianjiao, a research fellow at the Center for Global AI Innovative Governance in Shanghai.

　　"Political trust is the cornerstone of cooperation," Jiang said, noting that long-standing security and economic collaboration among SCO members has built a solid foundation for collaboration in cross-border data flow, cybersecurity and governance alignment, while respecting each member state's data sovereignty.

　　He highlighted resource complementarity within the SCO as the intrinsic driver of cooperation.

　　"The SCO includes digital powerhouses like China, as well as rapidly growing markets in Central and South Asia with urgent digital transformation needs, enormous demographic dividends and diverse application scenarios. This creates a synergistic loop of 'technology supply-scenario uptake-outcome conversion'," he said.

　　SCO AI cooperation offers member states a dual benefit of development dividends and capability building, Jiang said. Economically, the effective application of AI can reduce operational costs and create new growth drivers, he added.

　　"In terms of people's livelihoods, deploying AI in healthcare, agriculture and education can tangibly improve the quality of life," he said.

　　"Meanwhile, China, through open-source large language models, joint research and development, and talent cultivation, helps member states bridge the digital divide."

　　Contact the writers at yangran1@chinadaily.com.cn