On April 12, on the eve of the 2026 World Internet Conference Asia-Pacific Summit, the Capacity Building on AI and Cybersecurity — an advanced program — commenced at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre. Nearly 40 participants attended the program, including government officials, technical professionals, and corporate representatives from 16 countries and regions. These include Myanmar, Cambodia, Türkiye, Uruguay, Burundi, Oman, Ethiopia, Gambia, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Eritrea, as well as the Chinese mainland and Hong Kong.

Ren Xianliang, secretary-general of the World Internet Conference (WIC), attended the opening ceremony and delivered a speech. He said the WIC, as a leading international organization in the field of the internet, has always been committed to the vision of building a community with a shared future in cyberspace. 

Since 2024, the WIC has established a capacity-building platform that integrates resources from governments, industries, universities, and research institutions worldwide. Through this platform, a series of high-quality training and study programs have been carried out to empower the digital transformation of governments in developing countries, he said, noting that the initiative has received broad support from the industry and positive responses from the public.

Ren announced that the WIC has officially renamed its Digital Academy to the WIC Digital & AI Academy (WICDA). He said the new name better reflects the WIC's mission to bridge the digital and AI divide and responds to a UN resolution calling for stronger international cooperation on AI capacity building. WICDA will further focus on capacity building in digital and AI technologies by promoting digital and AI literacy, enhancing skills, facilitating knowledge sharing and policy exchanges. The goal, Ren said, is to help countries and regions at different stages of development share opportunities brought by digital and AI technologies, jointly address security risks, and ensure that the benefits of AI reach every corner of the globe.

Ren noted that this program marks the first capacity-building program under the academy's new name. He expressed the hope that participants from various countries would take this opportunity to better understand the evolving trajectory of AI technologies, master tools for ensuring AI security, and actively participate in shaping international rules and governance frameworks for AI. 

Speaking as dean of WICDA, Ren set out three expectations. First, to grasp the core trend of coordinated progress in AI algorithms, computing power, and data, and identify development pathways suited to their respective national conditions. Second, to balance AI development and security and ensure that AI serves as a positive force for sustainable development. Third, to build international consensus to promote a forward-looking, well-coordinated, inclusive and equitable AI security and governance system, so as to bridge the global digital and intelligence divide.

After the opening ceremony, the lecture sessions began. Participants from various countries will also take part in a number of activities of the summit to deepen their understanding, draw new insights and inspiration, and empower their own development.

The WIC Digital & AI Academy (WICDA) serves as the WIC's platform for capacity-building cooperation and exchange. It focuses on digital and AI capacity building worldwide, particularly in developing countries. WICDA aims to cultivate digital and AI talent, bridge the digital and AI divide, and ensure that all countries benefit from inclusive development.