$3.01 billion — that is the total value of contracts signed by 177 foreign delegations at the concluded World Artificial Intelligence Conference
$3.01 billion — that is the total value of contracts signed by 177 foreign delegations at the concluded World Artificial Intelligence Conference. When thousands of ideas, developments and business interests converge in one place, the result is not only discussions but also real deals. WAIC 2026 confirmed that artificial intelligence is no longer an abstract theory — it has become a market where innovations find their buyers. Record exhibition space, hundreds of global premieres and nearly 180 delegations all show that China is strengthening its role as a global platform for AI development and commercialisation.
On Monday, the 2026 World Artificial Intelligence Conference (WAIC) and the High‑Level Meeting on Global AI Governance concluded in Shanghai. The event, held under the theme "AI Partnership for a Bright Future", consisted of six sections: conferences and forums, exhibitions and demonstrations, awards and competitions, application demonstrations, innovation incubation and talent attraction. For the first time, the exhibition area exceeded 100,000 square metres, with more than 1,100 enterprises participating. Exhibitors presented 4,486 products and technologies, 351 of which were global premieres. The event was attended by 177 major international procurement delegations, with a total estimated value of about 20.36 billion yuan (approximately $3.01 billion), up about 25 percent from last year.
WAIC has been held in Shanghai since 2018 and has become one of the world's most respected platforms in the field of artificial intelligence. The growth in the number of participants and contract volumes reflects increasing interest in Chinese AI developments and trust in the platform as an effective tool for international cooperation. As CCTV+ reports. The concluded conference once again confirmed that Shanghai remains the main hub for global AI leaders, and its commercial outcomes have become an important indicator of the industry's maturity.
