A roadmap for future AI cooperation among APEC economies has been set out around four key priorities: secure AI development and deployment, responsible adoption, innovation-friendly environment, and inclusive cooperation.

That's according to a document — the APEC High-Level Forum on AI Statement on Promoting AI Development in the Asia-Pacific Region, released at the 2026 APEC High-Level Forum on AI, a key event of the 2026 APEC Digital Week, held in Chengdu, Sichuan province in southwest China, on July 24.

The statement consolidates consensus on deeper regional AI collaboration and provides a concrete framework for future joint efforts.

APEC's 21 member economies were home to three billion people and accounted for 61.6 percent of global real GDP in 2025, according to official APEC statistics. Their capabilities span several areas of the AI value chain, from model development and semiconductor production to manufacturing.

Acknowledging the diverse and different demands of APEC member economies, the statement encourages experience-sharing to foster responsible development and adoption of AI across the Asia-Pacific.

It urges member economies to prioritize security in AI advancement, and foster innovation that mitigates risks and benefits the public. It also encourages exchanges of best practices in building reliable, accessible, scalable, trustworthy, secure and resilient AI infrastructure, as well as improving access to digital infrastructure.

For the responsible and popular adoption of AI, the statement advocates empowering economic growth through diverse AI applications and creating a favorable environment for AI integration into all economic and social sectors. It also calls for promoting accessible education and training resources for all social groups to improve public AI literacy and skills.

To foster a robust AI innovation ecosystem, APEC members are advised to adopt balanced policies that address potential risks while enabling responsible AI application. While upholding security standards, data protection and intellectual property rights, member economies are encouraged to support open-source AI models and projects equipped with robust security safeguards throughout development and deployment.

To advance inclusive and shared APEC cooperation, the statement welcomes strengthened capacity building and knowledge exchange, as well as technological innovation and inclusive economic growth boosted by open dialogue and coordinated efforts involving public and private sector partnerships.

At the forum, China announced it would establish a China Center for APEC Cross-border Data Flow Cooperation. The center will serve as an open and comprehensive platform for policy research, regulatory alignment and industrial services, contributing to digital and intelligent development across the Asia-Pacific region.