Organizers announced that the World Artificial Intelligence Conference (WAIC) will take place in Shanghai from July 17 to 20, 2026. At a press conference on Tuesday, it was stated that the exhibition, new product presentations, and forum sessions will reach record levels.
Scale of the Event
The conference will cover three locations in the metropolis, utilizing four exhibition halls with a total area exceeding 100,000 square meters for the first time. Over a thousand exhibitors will present more than 3,000 advanced technologies, and over 300 AI-based products will debut globally. The event is scheduled to host more than 140 forums with the participation of over 1,400 experts from China and abroad.
Scientific Focus of the Conference
For the first time, the conference will feature a specialized academic track. WAIC Academic, a high-level international academic meeting on AI led by Turing award winners and international academics, will serve as a platform for scientific exchange.
Key Areas and Participants
The conference focuses on two key areas: intelligent computing and embodied intelligence. Each of these areas will attract over 200 enterprises. Industry representatives, key supply chain players, state-owned enterprises, and leading international companies will demonstrate the application of AI across various sectors.
Growth of the AI Industry in China
Organizers noted on Tuesday that the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) reported that the AI-related industry in China exceeded one trillion yuan (approximately $147 billion) last year, with projected growth of over 30% in 2026. The NDRC has established over 30 national AI pilot bases and stimulated state-owned enterprises to open over 1,000 application scenarios.
The penetration of general AI into key industries has exceeded 80%. Official NDRC spokesperson Wang Jiumeng stated that the agency will present two documents at the conference: a collection of successful cases covering over 20 countries in agriculture, industry, energy, and research, and an action plan for AI cooperation and development that covers eight areas, including intelligent computing, open ecosystem, AI empowerment, and security management.
AI Usage Statistics
According to NDRC data, in 2025, China exported over 100 million AI-based smart devices, and it is expected that sales of such devices will surpass non-AI model sales for the first time this year. In China, native AI office agents record over 20 million monthly visits, with daily token consumption reaching hundreds of trillions, representing a sharp increase compared to the previous year.
AI Development Plans
Under the fifteenth five-year plan (2026–2030), Wang noted that China will accelerate independent innovation in models, computing power, and data, find high value-added scenarios, and create benchmark applications. Furthermore, the impact of AI on employment will be studied, and its use in dangerous, dirty, and labor-intensive tasks will be promoted.
