Xi Jinping to Deliver Keynote at World AI Conference 2026 in Shanghai
Chinese President Xi Jinping will attend the opening ceremony of the World AI Conference 2026 in Shanghai and deliver a keynote program speech, officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced Monday. The conference runs July 17–20, 2026, and carries the theme “Intelligent Partners, Co-create the Future.”
Dates, venue and format
The World AI Conference 2026 will take place in Shanghai from July 17 to 20. Xi’s appearance at the opening ceremony is expected to be the event’s highlight; the conference combines an international tech forum with a high-level meeting on AI governance.
What Xi is expected to address
Ministry spokesman Lin Jian said Xi will set out China’s systematic approach to AI — covering national policy, China’s international posture, and concrete visions and proposals for governance. The statement indicates the political and normative dimensions of AI policy will be central to the keynote.
A cross-sector, international gathering
China has invited government officials, industry leaders, academics, research institutes and heads of international organizations to the event. Officials say the goal is to “share the moment” and foster broad dialogue among stakeholders.
China’s governance initiatives
Lin reminded attendees that China is advancing its “four global initiatives” and the Global Initiative on AI Governance proposed by Xi in recent years. Beijing says it intends to provide international public goods, promote “AI for good and for all,” and help the Global South build capacity — measures it claims have been positively received internationally.
Issues on the table
The spokesman emphasized that rapid advances in AI research and applications present both major opportunities and challenges, making AI governance “a profound issue of our time.” The conference aims to serve as a platform to build trust, forge consensus, and deepen cooperation toward safe, orderly and beneficial AI development.
Aiming to shape AI history
By hosting the event, China intends the World AI Conference 2026 to be “a milestone in the history of AI development,” encouraging international exchanges that could influence future norms and practices.
The event will provide an early look at how political messaging—particularly Xi’s keynote—might shape international debate on AI governance. No further details on the content of the speech have been released.
