The World Data Organization (WDO), the world's first professional international body dedicated to advancing data development and governance practices, was officially established in Beijing on Monday.

Tan Tieniu, chairman of the WDO, said that with global economic recovery remaining sluggish and traditional drivers of growth showing diminishing returns, the digital economy is booming. "The current wave of artificial intelligence is driven by data," he said. "How to fully unleash data's potential and accelerate digital economic growth is a common challenge facing humanity, requiring a globally recognized platform."

What will the WDO do?

The organization will focus on two key areas:

Breaking barriers: Addressing inconsistent data policies across countries, promoting industry consensus, standard recommendations and best practices to support governments and research institutions, while helping multinational enterprises reduce compliance costs.

Building ecosystems: Deploying data applications in real-world sectors such as healthcare, education and energy to drive project implementation and industrial innovation, while strengthening talent development – particularly in Global South and developing countries – to bridge the digital divide.

The WDO has already brought together over 200 members from more than 40 countries. Its diverse membership includes enterprises, universities, think tanks, international organizations and financial institutions, spanning 14 industries such as manufacturing, finance, healthcare, e-commerce, transportation, energy and agriculture.