TLDR: Shanghai is set to host the 2025 World AI Conference (WAIC) from July 26-28 for its conference and July 26-29 for its exhibition, marking its eighth edition. The event, themed ‘Global Solidarity in the AI Era,’ will feature a record-breaking exhibition area exceeding 70,000 square meters, showcasing over 3,000 cutting-edge AI products from 800 companies. More than 1,200 guests, including Nobel and Turing laureates, are expected to attend, with a new focus on venture investment and incubation.
Shanghai is gearing up to host the highly anticipated 2025 World AI Conference (WAIC) and High-level Meeting on Global AI Governance, scheduled to take place from July 26 to 28 for the conference sessions, with the exhibition extending until July 29. This marks the eighth iteration of the prestigious event, which has become a pivotal platform for global AI academic exchanges, industry collaboration, and technological showcases.
The 2025 WAIC, operating under the theme ‘Global Solidarity in the AI Era,’ is poised to be the most extensive to date. For the first time, its exhibition area will surpass 70,000 square meters, a significant expansion reflecting the rapid growth and widespread application of artificial intelligence. The event will host approximately 800 companies, with half of these exhibitors hailing from other Chinese cities or international locations, underscoring the conference’s global reach. Notable industry leaders such as Siemens and Schneider Electric, alongside 50 State-owned enterprises, are confirmed to showcase their latest innovations.
Attendees can expect to witness over 3,000 frontier products and technologies, including a remarkable display of 40 large language models, 50 AI-powered devices, and 60 intelligent robots. A new record is also set to be achieved, with more than 100 products making their China or world debut at this year’s WAIC. The exhibition will be strategically divided into four key themes: core technologies, industrial application, smart terminals, and universal links, providing a comprehensive overview of the AI landscape.
The conference is set to attract an impressive roster of over 1,200 guests from more than 30 countries and regions. This includes 12 winners of international top-notch awards, such as the Turing Award and the Nobel Prize, over 80 academicians from both domestic and international institutions, and representatives from the world’s leading laboratories.
In a significant new development, the 2025 WAIC will introduce a dedicated area for venture investment and incubation. This new segment will facilitate roadshows for over 200 startup projects from around the globe, offering them unparalleled opportunities to connect with more than 100 investment institutions. Zhang Ying, director of the Shanghai Economic and Informatization Commission, highlighted this initiative during a recent press conference, emphasizing its role in fostering innovation and product transformation.
Furthermore, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology is expected to release its latest progress in AI development during the WAIC’s forums, as stated by Du Guangda, deputy head of the ministry’s science and technology department. The conference will also delve into the frontiers of humanoid robotics, a sector projected by UBS analyst Phyllis Wang to experience a compound annual growth rate of over 40 percent for the next 25 years, signaling a new stage of large-scale AI application.
The WAIC’s incubation platform, Future Tech, will enhance its services to transform innovative projects into viable products and secure financing. Additionally, the Connect platform, serving as the procurement arm of WAIC, has undergone institutional upgrading and will offer over 200 purchase lists and facilitate more than 100 one-on-one business matchmaking activities. For the first time, the Connect platform’s services will be extended throughout the year, aiming to create a continuous ecosystem for resource connection and project incubation.
Also Read:
- China Accelerates Financial Support for Domestic AI Innovation
- China Emerges as Global Leader in AI Research, Surpassing Western Nations in Output and Influence
Organized by Donghao Lansheng (Group) Co., Ltd., the 2025 World AI Conference is poised to reinforce Shanghai’s position as a global hub for artificial intelligence, driving technological advancement, industrial acceleration, and international cooperation in the AI domain.
