Published on: 2026-07-15
Source: People’s Republic of China — Translation
An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
Shanghai, July 15 /Xinhua/ — As one of the leading centers for the development of the artificial intelligence (AI) industry in China, Shanghai is intensively preparing for the World Artificial Intelligence Conference (WAIC) and the 2026 High-Level Conference on Global AI Governance.
The upcoming WAIC, dedicated to the theme “Partnership in Artificial Intelligence for a Bright Future,” will take place from July 17 to 20 in Shanghai. The event covers six sections: conferences and forums, exhibitions and presentations, competitions and awards, application experiences, innovation and incubation, as well as talent attraction. More than 140 forums are planned within WAIC, with over 1,400 Chinese and international guests participating.
WAIC will be held at four venues in the Shanghai districts of Pudong and Xuhui. Specifically, in the Pudong district, the main forum and more than 100 industry forums, as well as a number of exhibitions and presentations, are planned, featuring a wide range of advanced AI-based products. The venue in the Xuhui district will primarily focus on intelligent terminals and educational events themed “AI + culture and entertainment.”
For the first time, the exhibition area within WAIC will exceed 100,000 sq. m, where over 1,100 enterprises will showcase more than 3,000 products and technologies, over 300 of which will be demonstrated on the global market for the first time.
Among the main exhibits of the exhibition are Huawei’s latest computer supernode artificial intelligence system Atlas 950, the multimodal large model MiniMax M3, the world’s first smartphone with a built-in AI agent, as well as a number of humanoid robots and AI-based “dexterous hands.”
China has been holding the WAIC for eight consecutive years. This conference is aimed at developing global partnerships in the field of AI, as well as ensuring that the benefits of artificial intelligence serve all humanity.
According to experts, since its inception, WAIC has consistently served as a platform to showcase China’s achievements in the scientific and technological field, as well as to bring together leading scientists and industry leaders and present a balanced and forward-looking perspective on the responsible governance of artificial intelligence.
This year, WAIC will be organized jointly by six ministries and committees of the Chinese government, including the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China, the National Development and Reform Commission of the PRC, the Cyberspace Administration of China, the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the China Association for Science and Technology, and the Shanghai Municipal People’s Government.
China has increased investment support for the development of artificial intelligence, and Shanghai, as one of the leading centers of innovation in artificial intelligence in the country, has identified the artificial intelligence industry as one of the key drivers of economic growth.
Shanghai Vice Mayor Chen Jie said that Shanghai has already formed a complete artificial intelligence development ecosystem, combining independent innovation, growth based on applied development, openness and collaboration, coordinated development of the industrial ecosystem, and security management.
In 2025, Shanghai had 394 large enterprises in the field of artificial intelligence, with a total production volume exceeding 637 billion yuan /approximately 93.7 billion USD/, which is 39.5% more than in 2024.
A national investment fund for the artificial intelligence industry totaling 60 billion yuan was created in the metropolis, along with a city-level investment fund for this sector amounting to 22.5 billion yuan.
Shanghai is accelerating the development of the smart terminal industry, including AI glasses and smartphones. The market size of smart terminals in the city is expected to exceed 300 billion yuan by 2027.
A total of 14 universities in Shanghai have established AI research institutes, and 19 universities in Shanghai offer majors related to AI. The city has nearly 300,000 specialists in the field of artificial intelligence, which accounts for about one-third of the total number of such specialists in the country.
Meanwhile, in Shanghai’s open-source communities, more than 150,000 models have been collected, attracting over 10 million developers worldwide.
Please note; This information is raw content obtained directly from the information source. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.