WAIC 2026 Highlights Global Cooperation on AI Development, Governance

Closer global cooperation on artificial intelligence development and governance was proposed at the 2026 World Artificial Intelligence Conference (WAIC 2026) that concluded in Shanghai on Monday. It was something that was also practiced on site during the four-day event.

"As a Chinese saying goes, a single string can't make music, nor can a single tree form a forest," President Xi Jinping said at the opening ceremony of the conference. "The development of artificial intelligence should not be a solo performance by one single country, but a symphony forged through global cooperation."

During the past four days, participants from more than 100 countries and regions came to the World Expo Center and World Expo Exhibition Hall, joining a crowd of exhibitors ranging from domestic giants such as Baidu, Alibaba and Tencent, and local emerging stars like MiniMax and StepFun, to traditional foreign conglomerates, including Siemens, Zeiss, Schneider Electric and ABB Robotics.

"The WAIC stands as a highly influential global platform for innovation and exchange," said Patricia Xia, managing partner of EY China Central.

"It brings together stakeholders from all sectors at home and abroad to share cutting-edge practices and jointly discuss the development of AI, building an efficient channel to match resources and facilitate the application of intelligent technologies in the real economy."