China is decisively deploying AI to drive inclusive growth, aligning public policy with industrial innovation to extend technological solutions from exhibition halls to rural communities and local services. This approach was at the heart of the World AI Conference (WAIC) opening and the high-level meeting on global AI governance in Shanghai on 17 July 2026.
AI transforming daily life in rural areas
On a country road near Wuhan, farmer Zhang Shuwang loads crates of fruit into an autonomous truck developed by Zelostech. Using a Level 4 driving solution that no longer requires high‑definition maps, the vehicle navigates in real time and now enables multiple deliveries.

