The World Artificial Intelligence Conference (WAIC) 2025, held this week in Shanghai, is showcasing over 100 new AI products, including large language models (LLMs), illustrating the dynamism of China's AI sector and its intensified efforts in the global AI race, said a Chinese expert. This year's event will see the unveiling of more than 40 LLMs, 50 AI-powered devices and 60 intelligent robots, according to the organizers. Most of the AI solutions and products on display were developed by Chinese institutions and businesses. Shanghai-based SenseTime told the Global Times that it will release updated versions of its SenseNova LLMs, including SenseNova 6.5, as well as an upgraded suite of productivity tools for office use, note-taking and programming. The company will also launch an embodied-intelligence platform that combines perception, visual navigation and multimodal interaction to power next-generation robots and smart devices. SenseTime is among a number of Chinese tech companies that have sought to use their participation at the WAIC as an opportunity to show progress made in developing LLMs amid heightened competition in the domestic market.
Ant Group, an affiliate of Alibaba Group, is presenting its AI-powered services and technologies at WAIC 2025, highlighting key achievements in connectivity and AI-powered medical services. The company hopes to make AI “as ubiquitous as QR-code payments”. Robotics will take center stage at this year's expo. Hangzhou-based DeepRobotics is introducing M20 Lynx, a wheeled-leg hybrid robot built for extreme industrial inspections, alongside its first full-size humanoid robot. The firm already has an 80% share in China's quadruped-robot sector. It is also showcasing the latest achievements in “AI+” applications and unveiling numerous innovative products.
More than 800 companies are participating, with more than 50% coming from outside Shanghai or overseas. The number of exhibits is set to exceed 3,000, a Shanghai official told a press conference on July 10. The event will show the world “Chinese wisdom” by promoting China's open-source approach to AI, which has gained momentum thanks to models from DeepSeek and Alibaba, Wang Peng, Associate Research Fellow at the Beijing Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times.
The WAIC, hosted by Chinese government ministries and the Shanghai municipal government, has become a key venue for China to raise its influence in the international AI industry. Having been held annually seven times, this year's WAIC focuses on the theme "Global Solidarity in the AI Era," with aims to showcase global tech, science and the industry ecosystem. This year's conference from July 26 to 28 is larger than previous editions, with the exhibition scale and the number of exhibitors and new products reaching the highest level in history, according to the organizers. More than 1,200 officials, industry leaders and scientists from 30 countries and regions have confirmed their participation in this year's WAIC. At present, China is home to over 4,500 AI companies, with its core AI industries valued at nearly CNY600 billion, the Global Times reports.
