The World Artificial Intelligence Conference (WAIC) 2026 opens Friday in Shanghai, billed by organizers as the largest AI-focused event ever held in China: more than 1,100 exhibiting companies and over 3,000 products — including 300 making their world debuts — will be presented across 100,000 m² of exhibition space spread over multiple sites.
Rapid build for a massive exhibition space
The heart of the event is installed at the Shanghai World Expo Exhibition and Convention Center, where the four main halls are already in place and the digital exhibition system is undergoing final tests. The 100,000 m² exhibition area — roughly equivalent to 14 football fields — was assembled in just 12 days, 40% faster than previous editions. Teams are putting the finishing touches on lighting, sound systems, interactive displays and robotic arms to ensure a smooth presentation of innovations.
Three zones, four venues and a showcase of innovation
WAIC 2026 takes place across three distinct zones — the Shanghai World Expo Exhibition and Convention Center, Zhangjiang Science City and the West Bund — covering a total of four exhibition venues. Organizers emphasize the diversity on offer: real-world applications, academic research and prototypes will sit alongside global product launches, giving the conference both scientific depth and commercial breadth.
Expert feedback and visitor reactions
Among the voices present, German professor Otthein Herzog, an AI researcher for 46 years and a member of the expert committee of the China‑BRICS Artificial Intelligence Development and Cooperation Center, underscores the scale… [source text cuts off here].
If you’d like, I can draft a polished closing sentence or expand the “expert feedback” section into a fuller quote or analysis for publication.
