Chinese search engine company Baidu joined a United States-led consortium, The Partnership on AI, addressing issues related to the development and safety of artificial intelligence (AI), the Financial Times reported on Wednesday. Baidu marks the first Chinese company to join a US organization dealing with AI related issues, the report said. "As AI technology keeps advancing and the application of AI expands, we recognize the importance of joining the global discussion around the future of AI," Baidu President Ya-Qin Zhang stated. The Partnership on AI applauded Baidu's membership, pointing out that "safety and controllability" of AI is its highest priority and that it will continue to welcome more Chinese companies into the organization. The Partnership on AI's members come from over 50 countries, but before Baidu joined it, it always listed the lack of Chinese membership as one of its main weaknesses in comprehensively addressing AI safety approaches and technology development.