Shanghai: Humanoid robots, AI-powered smartphones, and next-generation foundation models are set to be major highlights at the World Artificial Intelligence Conference (WAIC) in Shanghai, commencing this Friday. The ninth edition of the conference marks a significant step as Beijing intensifies its efforts to secure a leading position in the global artificial intelligence arena amidst increasing competition with the US over advanced technologies.
According to Anadolu Agency, a pivotal development preceding the summit is the launch of the World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organization (WAICO), a multilateral platform initiated by China to foster international collaboration on AI innovation, development, and governance. On Thursday, 29 nations signed an agreement to establish the organization, which will be headquartered in Shanghai, as reported by state-run Xinhua News.
Chinese President Xi Jinping is scheduled to present Beijing's strategy for AI development and governance during the conference. Notable attendees include UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, the prime ministers of Thailand and Cambodia, and Pakistan's Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar.
WAICO, first proposed by China in July last year, aims to enhance international collaboration in the AI domain, dismantle barriers to the movement of production factors by creating a supply-demand matching platform, and encourage practical AI cooperation among countries. Its primary objectives include deepening innovation cooperation, promoting inclusive development, and strengthening collaborative governance, as noted in a Baidu blog.
President Xi, attending the conference for the first time, will provide a comprehensive explanation of China's policies, positions, visions, and proposals regarding AI development and governance, according to China's Foreign Ministry. The ministry highlighted that AI technological innovation is undergoing significant breakthroughs, offering both opportunities and challenges to the international community and making AI governance a crucial issue of the current era.
China has been hosting WAIC annually since 2018. The conference, themed "Intelligent Partners, Co-create the Future," will feature over 140 forums with more than 1,400 participants from China and abroad. Running from Friday to Monday, the summit will include conferences, exhibitions, application experiences, innovation incubation, and talent attraction, as reported by Chinese state media.
More than 1,100 enterprises will exhibit over 3,000 products and technologies, with over 300 products making their global debut, according to Xinhua News. Highlighted attractions include Huawei's Atlas 950 AI computing super node, MiniMax's M3 multimodal foundation model, and the world's first agentic AI phone. Various humanoid robots and AI-powered dexterous hands will also be on display.
Reflecting Xi's emphasis on developing new quality productive forces, six Chinese central government ministries and commissions are participating in the summit. Deputy Mayor of Shanghai, Chen Jie, emphasized Shanghai's pivotal role in China's AI aspirations, noting that the city has established a comprehensive development ecosystem integrating independent innovation, application-driven growth, opening-up and cooperation, coordinated industrial ecosystem development, and security governance.
Last year, Shanghai was home to 394 major AI enterprises, with a combined industrial scale exceeding 637 billion yuan ($93.7 billion), marking a 39.5% increase year-on-year.