Brazil and China have unveiled plans for a joint artificial intelligence research facility targeting agricultural development, in a significant expansion of technological cooperation between the two emerging powers as global tech alliances realign amid US-China tensions.

According to SCMP, the centrepiece of the partnership will be an AI laboratory dedicated to modernising farming techniques in semi-arid regions, bringing together Brazil's National Semi-arid Institute with China Agricultural University. If completed, the pioneering facility would represent a practical application of artificial intelligence to address food security challenges in some of the world's most climatically challenging agricultural zones.

Speaking at the BRICS summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva positioned the collaboration within a broader critique of technological inequality. "The development of Artificial Intelligence cannot become the privilege of a few countries, nor a tool of manipulation in the hands of billionaires," he said, advocating for technology governance that is "fair, inclusive, and equitable."

Echoing his remarks in a joint declaration, BRICS leaders called for UN-led global governance to regulate AI.

"A collective global effort is needed to establish an AI governance that upholds our shared values, addresses risks, builds trust, and ensures broad and inclusive international collaboration and access, in accordance with sovereign laws, including capacity building for developing countries," the statement said.

But Brazil's agricultural focus aims to address more pressing needs in the country's northeastern Sertão region, where 22mn inhabitants face the challenges of farming in drought-prone terrain characterised by extreme heat and limited vegetation. The project will concentrate on integrating AI-driven systems with existing farm machinery to enhance soil monitoring and environmental assessment capabilities.

The announcement emerged from high-level discussions between Lula and Chinese Premier Li Qiang during the weekend summit, where both leaders signed multiple cooperation agreements spanning artificial intelligence, renewable energy, pharmaceuticals, and infrastructure development. The formal signing ceremony on July 5 involved Liu Sushe, vice-minister of China's National Development and Reform Commission, alongside Brazilian counterparts.

Li pointed out the strategic nature of the partnership, telling his Brazilian counterpart that China was "willing to work with Brazil to leverage each other's complementary advantages and expand cooperation in such areas as digital economy, green economy, sci-tech innovation and aerospace," as quoted by Xinhua.

The timing proves telling as China seeks alternative partnerships whilst navigating intensifying US restrictions on semiconductor and AI technology exports. Washington has progressively tightened controls since 2019, targeting advanced chips essential for AI development and pressuring European and Asian allies to restrict sales of crucial manufacturing equipment.

Major Chinese technology firms including Huawei and SMIC now face substantial barriers to accessing American-made high-performance processors from companies such as Nvidia and AMD. These restrictions have prompted Beijing to accelerate domestic capabilities and cultivate technological relationships with nations including Russia, Malaysia, and now more extensively with Brazil.

Despite some recent diplomatic progress – Washington and Beijing made strides in trade negotiations last month, leading to a modest easing of software export restrictions – China remains heavily dependent on American technology across multiple sectors from smartphones to autonomous vehicles.

The novel Brazil-China tech partnership extends beyond agriculture, encompassing semiconductor collaboration, renewable energy development, and maritime industry cooperation, SCMP reported. China's dominance in global shipbuilding, producing half of all new vessels worldwide, offers attractive synergies with Brazil's burgeoning maritime sector.

Space technology cooperation also features prominently, with both nations committing to joint geostationary satellite development and broader aerospace initiatives. These agreements build upon frameworks agreed upon during President Xi Jinping's November visit to Brasília, which laid the groundwork for aligning Brazil's domestic Growth Acceleration Program with China's Belt and Road Initiative.

The partnership is yet another product of Lula's diplomatic tiptoeing in engaging with Chinese investment without formal participation in Beijing's flagship global development initiative, whose ranks have been bolstered by many of Brazil’s neighbours in recent years. This approach allows Brazil to access Chinese financing without openly provoking the US, which remains the country’s second-largest trading partner.

During talks on the sidelines of the BRICS summit, climate cooperation emerged as another priority area, with Lula urging Chinese participation in the Tropical Forests Forever Fund ahead of COP30, which Brazil will host in November in the Amazonian city of Belem. The initiative, spearheaded by Lula, targets $4bn in annual funding for nations maintaining forest preservation below specified deforestation thresholds.

While stopping short of confirming China’s entry into the Tropical Fund, Li expressed Beijing’s full support for Brazil's COP30 endeavour, and both leaders reaffirmed their commitment to multilateral institutions including the United Nations, BRICS, and G20.

The cultural dimension received attention through plans for a China-Brazil Year of Culture in 2026, alongside expanded cooperation in education, healthcare, and youth exchanges designed to strengthen popular support for bilateral ties.

Seen through the prism of BRICS's multipolar ambitions, the newly announced agricultural AI project represents more than technological cooperation; it signals how middle powers are forging alternative partnerships as traditional alliances are being reshaped by US-China tensions. For Brazil, the partnership offers access to advanced technology and much-needed investment capital. For China, it provides access to a key market and diplomatic clout whilst diversifying technological relationships.

As global technology governance faces unprecedented challenges, the Brazil-China agricultural AI centre may prove a model for South-South cooperation in emerging technologies, showcasing how developing nations can pursue technological advancement through partnerships entirely independent of established power centres.