This weekend, Shanghai will host the 2025 World Artificial Intelligence Conference (WAIC), a major event in the tech industry. Over 800 companies, including Chinese giants like Alibaba, Huawei, and Tencent, as well as Western firms such as Tesla, Amazon, and Alphabet, will showcase their latest AI advancements. Despite U.S. sanctions limiting access to high-end chips, Chinese companies continue to innovate, with local breakthroughs becoming increasingly common.
Chinese Premier Li Qiang will open the conference, highlighting the government’s commitment to AI, seen as crucial for economic growth and national security. China aims to lead the world in AI by 2030, investing heavily in research and talent development.
A notable achievement comes from DeepSeek, a Chinese startup that has developed a cost-effective AI language model, attracting international attention for its capabilities. The conference will feature over 3,000 products, including language models, smart devices, and robots designed for various applications like healthcare and logistics.
Despite geopolitical tensions, Western companies recognize China’s significance as a market and innovation center, participating in the event through collaborations and research partnerships.
