The 2026 World AI Conference and High-Level Meeting on Global AI Governance yielded a record CNY20.36 billion in intended purchases, a 25% year-on-year increase. Themed “AI Partnership for a Brighter Future”, the event brought together representatives from 102 countries and international organizations, drawing over 400,000 on-site visitors and garnering more than 3 billion views online worldwide. “This conference was not only one of the largest and most influential international gatherings in the global AI field, but also China’s first high-level diplomatic event in the AI sector,” said Chen Jie, Vice Mayor of Shanghai. Key documents adopted at the Conference included the AI Cooperation and Development Action Plan and the International AI Ethical Governance Action Plan and 32 key Shanghai AI projects with a total investment exceeding CNY40.9 billion were signed. China Unicom also launched its “UniAI connecting Shanghai with AI” project, investing over CNY25 billion in intelligent computing infrastructure in Shanghai. Across an exhibition space of over 100,000 square meters, 1,117 companies presented 4,486 exhibits, including 351 making their global debut.
Cutting-edge innovations took center stage, including China’s first near-memory computing 3D AI chip, various humanoid robots, and AI dexterous hands. The conference attracted 177 major procurement delegations. Academia and industry merged seamlessly across 158 forums, pitch sessions for 180 startups, and sessions featuring 11 Turing Award, Nobel Prize and Fields Medal laureates. In addition, the 2026 International Embodied Intelligence Competition was launched, and Shanghai Mayor Gong Zheng officially unveiled the Shanghai Institute for Physical AI and Robotics.
Youth participation emerged as a defining highlight. More than 40 dedicated events drew 1,030 young AI talents globally, with over 60 startup projects led by entrepreneurs born in the 1990s and 2000s. Reflecting on the outcomes, Vice Mayor Chen identified five key trends shaping the industry: shifting from conceptual governance frameworks to concrete action; emphasizing secure, open, and multilaterally governed systems; systematic technological breakthroughs; deeper integration into manufacturing and daily life; and the rapid rise of young talent.
Twenty-nine countries on July 16 signed an agreement in Shanghai on establishing the World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organization (WAICO). The international organization will be headquartered in Shanghai. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi signed the agreement on behalf of the Chinese government, together with representatives of 28 other countries that became founding members. United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres was present at the signing ceremony. The organization will uphold the purposes of the UN Charter, be committed to extensive consultation and joint contribution for shared benefit and adhere to a people-centered approach, according to the agreement. The Foreign Ministry said earlier last year that the proposal to establish the organization was a practical move taken by China to practice multilateralism, reflecting the aspirations of the Global South. The aim is to unleash the dividends of AI, bridge the AI divide, and ensure that AI is used for good outcomes, it said.
Chinese President Xi Jinping gave the keynote address at the opening ceremony of the 2026 World AI Conference and High-Level Meeting on Global AI Governance in Shanghai and announced the establishment of the WAICO as “a major move by China to answer the call of the Global South and unite the international community” to vigorously promote AI development and governance. Xi said that AI development should be a symphony of international cooperation instead of a solo performance by a single country. He also said that “we should ensure that AI is always under human control”. UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres said technology that will shape the future of humanity must be shaped by all humanity, and cannot be governed by only a handful of countries or companies. He said China has an essential role to play in making AI a force for greater inclusion and shared progress.
China ranked second behind the United States in a global artificial intelligence governance index released on July 17, making it the only major developing country among the top-ranked economies. “The data shows China’s distinct approach to AI development, which is focusing on balanced growth instead of simply building more powerful AI, managing risks through responsible governance, and making sure the benefits of AI are shared globally,” said the report released by the Center for Global AI Innovative Governance.
According to the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT), the value of China’s core AI industry exceeded CNY1.2 trillion in 2025, with more than 6,200 AI enterprises. By the end of 2025, over 30% of manufacturing enterprises above designated size (with a revenue of more than CNY20 million) had adopted AI technologies, while Chinese companies had released more than 300 humanoid robot products.
This overview is based on reports by the China Daily, the Global Times and the South China Morning Post.
