The World AI Conference (WAIC) for 2026 is set to take place in Shanghai from July 17 to 20, promising record-breaking exhibition space and a host of new product launches and forums. The event will be spread across three locations with more than 100,000 square meters of exhibition space. Over 1,000 exhibitors will present more than 3,000 cutting-edge technologies, and 300 AI products are expected to debut globally. The conference will feature over 140 forums with participation from more than 1,400 experts worldwide.
For the first time, WAIC will include an academic track, WAIC Academic, led by Turing Award winners and international academicians, aimed at fostering scholarly exchange.
The event will focus on intelligent computing and embodied intelligence, each attracting over 200 enterprises. Key industry leaders and international firms will showcase AI applications across various sectors.
The National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) highlighted that China’s AI industry surpassed one trillion yuan last year and is projected to grow by over 30% in 2026. The NDRC has established more than 30 national AI pilot bases and encouraged state-owned enterprises to create over 1,000 application scenarios. AI penetration in key industries has exceeded 80%.
During the conference, the NDRC plans to release a collection of success stories from over 20 countries and an action plan for AI cooperation and development. China shipped more than 100 million AI-powered smart devices in 2025, and AI device sales are expected to overtake non-AI models this year. Native AI office agents in China now see over 20 million monthly visits, with daily token consumption reaching hundreds of trillions.
Wang Ruomeng, an NDRC official, stated that during the 15th Five-Year Plan period (2026-2030), China will focus on independent innovation in models, computing power, and data, while also examining AI’s impact on employment and promoting its use in hazardous and labor-intensive tasks.
