Tech heavyweights, scholars and government officials gathered at Nishan, Shandong province, to spark insightful discussions on ensuring the security and trustworthiness of artificial intelligence.

The topic is one of the main in store for the World Internet Conference Nishan Dialogue on Digital Civilization, which opened on Monday in Qufu, Shandong province, the birthplace of Confucius and the origin of Confucianism.

The event is expected to explore AI's role in advancing human civilization, leveraging history and culture in the digital age and strengthening international collaboration.

Hundreds of senior delegates from over 10 countries and regions attended the dialogue, both online and off to discuss and explore practical approaches to global AI governance.

John Hoffman, CEO of the Global System for Mobile Communications Association, called for joint efforts to establish a trusted environment for artificial intelligence to benefit everyone.

In this new era of digital transformation connectivity is key, and 5G is the greatest enabler across economies empowering AI, IoT and big data, he said.

He added China leads the way in 5G with the highest number of 5G base stations globally. It is projected by 2025, China will become the first country to surpass one billion 5G connections.

Many organizations worldwide have already begun utilizing AI to enhance predictive capabilities, optimize their operations and provide personalized digital solutions.

Recent estimates suggest by 2030, AI could contribute over $15 trillion to the global economy, he added.

He concluded it is crucial to establish a people-centered, risk-based approach ensuring AI is reliable, responsible, and fair for everyone.

Robin Li, co-founder, chairman and CEO of Baidu Inc, said establishing comprehensive legal frameworks, institutional systems and ethical standards to ensure the healthy development of AI is vital to fostering a favorable innovation ecosystem.

He added it is important to prioritize risk prevention when developing AI by establishing mechanisms that allow for experimentation, adaptation and course correction to strike a dynamic balance between innovation and regulation.

As China has unique strengths in AI application scenarios, the development of specialized large models needs to be further tailored to sectors such as finance, healthcare and power.

By responsibly steering AI development and ensuring security measures, large models can shape a transformative digital landscape, he concluded.

Zhou Hongyi, founder of the cybersecurity company 360 Security Group, emphasized the future potential of large language models in enterprise, industry, government and city settings.

Large language models are a major advancement in intelligence and can significantly boost productivity. However, he pointed out limitations in current public models regarding industry specificity, data security risks, content trustworthiness and cost control.

He thus advocated for the development of vertical large-scale models tailored to specific domains, transforming their role from universal assistants to specific solutions for governments, industries and enterprises.

He added he believed it's important to create large-scale models that are secure, trustworthy, controllable and user-friendly. For example, when applied in enterprise settings, they should serve as assistants to businesses and employees.

Zhang Yong, chairman and CEO of Alibaba Group, as well as chairman and CEO of Alibaba Cloud Intelligence Group, emphasized the significance of aligning AI technology development with societal norms for the benefit of the public.

He mentioned the continuous improvement of laws and regulations that have created a conducive environment for the sustainable advancement of AI technology.

In January, Alibaba introduced principles guiding the responsible use of AI technology, placing emphasis on its utility, reliability and trustworthiness.

Zhang said China possesses strengths in AI development, attributing them to a solid foundation, diverse application scenarios and the integration of real-world data.

The country's progress in AI has been propelled by its foundation and reliance on high-quality computing power.

China boasts the world's second-largest computing power capacity, experiencing an annual industry growth rate of nearly 30 percent.

Cloud computing as a fundamental infrastructure supporting the digital economy facilitates seamless data integration, he said.

Mohamed Ben Amor, director-general of the Arab Information and Communication Technologies Organization, emphasized the importance of data privacy and security in building trust in AI systems.

He stressed the need for robust measures such as encryption and access controls to protect user data and strong security protocols to protect AI systems from attacks and unauthorized access, adding collaboration and partnership frameworks are essential to achieve secure and trustworthy AI.

He emphasized the importance of cooperation between the AI community, researchers, industry peers, policymakers and decision-makers.

By sharing knowledge and best practices, he concluded, these stakeholders can contribute to the continuous development of secure and trustworthy AI systems.