World AI conference opens in Shanghai with record scale

Featuring the theme of “Global Solidarity in the AI Era,” the 2025 World AI Conference & High-level Meeting on Global AI Governance opened on Saturday in east China’s Shanghai Municipality.

The conference this year boasted enhanced international influence, with record-breaking participation in terms of top-tier guests, exhibition area, and new product launches.

For the first time, the exhibition area spanned over 70,000 square meters, hosting more than 800 companies with over 3,000 cutting-edge products, including large models, AI-powered devices, and intelligent robots. More than 100 new products are set to make their debut at the event.

A number of forums and exchanges will be held during the three-day conference. More than 1,200 guests from over 30 countries and regions will actively engage in the event, jointly drawing a blueprint for global AI development.

As the host city for eight consecutive years, Shanghai has stepped up its efforts and strived to be at the forefront of AI development and governance.

In the first quarter of this year, Shanghai’s AI industry output exceeded 118 billion yuan (approximately $16.5 billion), marking a year-on-year increase of 29 percent and a profit increase of 65 percent. AI has become a new engine to drive the city’s economic growth, according to the municipal government.

The city is focused on developing five key areas to strengthen its leading position in the AI sector. It aims to become an efficient hub for industrial innovation by integrating intelligent computing, language data, and foundational models, with the goal of surpassing 100 EFlops in computing capacity by the end of the year. Additionally, it is establishing AI demonstration bases across various industries, including manufacturing, finance and healthcare, while accelerating the commercialization of embodied intelligence through humanoid robots and advanced AI models.

The city also seeks to build an open, interconnected ecosystem with full-cycle financing support for AI ventures and nurturing AI talent through specialized institutes and programs. Furthermore, it is committed to advancing AI governance, ensuring safety, ethics and international collaboration for responsible AI growth.

Source: CGTN

--Agencies