The 2026 World Artificial Intelligence Conference in Shanghai drew massive crowds despite near-40°C heat. President Xi Jinping delivered a keynote emphasizing open-source collaboration and China seizing AI opportunities. Over 1,100 enterprises exhibited more than 3,000 items, with 300+ global debuts. Highlights included Huawei's Atlas 950 SuperPoD computing cluster and other advanced hardware. The Hong Kong Generative AI Research Centre announced an LLM Going Global strategy. Attendance and excitement reached new highs, reflecting China's AI momentum. The event combined industry showcases, forums, and policy discussions. It underscores Shanghai's position as an AI hub and China's push for technological self-reliance and international cooperation amid global competition.
The 2026 World Artificial Intelligence Conference in Shanghai drew massive crowds despite near-40°C heat. President Xi Jinping delivered a keynote emphasizing open-source collaboration and China seizing AI opportunities. Over 1,100 enterprises exhibited more than 3,000 items, with 300+ global debuts. Highlights included Huawei's Atlas 950 SuperPoD computing cluster and other advanced hardware. The Hong Kong Generative AI Research Centre announced an LLM Going Global strategy. Attendance and excitement reached new highs, reflecting China's AI momentum. The event combined industry showcases, forums, and policy discussions. It underscores Shanghai's position as an AI hub and China's push for technological self-reliance and international cooperation amid global competition.