2026 World AI Conference Concludes in Shanghai

The 2026 World Artificial Intelligence Conference (WAIC) and High-Level Meeting on Global AI Governance concluded on July 20 at the Shanghai Expo Center, marking the largest edition in the event’s history. Over four days, the conference attracted more than 400,000 on-site visitors, hosted 177 international procurement groups, and generated an estimated 20.36 billion yuan ($2.8 billion) in intended procurement — a 25% increase year-on-year, according to Xinhua News Agency.

A Landmark Edition

The 2026 WAIC, held from July 17 to 20, was the largest and most influential AI conference globally, with a record exhibition area exceeding 100,000 square meters across venues in Shanghai’s Pudong and Xuhui districts. The event featured approximately 158 forums, 4,486 exhibits, and 351 products launched globally — 198 of which were making their debut appearance, as reported by Xinmin Evening News.

More than 1,100 exhibitors participated, alongside 1,568 domestic and international experts, including 11 Nobel, Turing, and Fields laureates. The conference also drew 432 foreign speakers and 1,030 global youth AI talents, with online traffic surpassing 3 billion views worldwide. Representatives from 102 countries and international organizations attended, underscoring the event’s global reach.

WAICO: A New Global AI Governance Body

Perhaps the most consequential outcome of the conference week was the signing of the agreement to establish the World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organization (WAICO) on July 16. The new intergovernmental organization, headquartered in Shanghai, was founded by 29 countries including China, Brazil, Russia, Indonesia, Pakistan, South Africa, and Kazakhstan. United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres attended the signing ceremony, and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi signed on behalf of China, as detailed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the PRC.

The founding members are predominantly from the Global South, BRICS nations, and Belt and Road Initiative partners. Notably absent are the United States, European Union member states, Japan, South Korea, and other Western nations — a reflection of the deepening geopolitical divide in technology governance. The Wikipedia entry for WAICO notes that the organization follows the UN Charter and is designed to be open to all sovereign states, with a development-oriented approach.

Economic Impact and Strategic Investments

The conference generated significant economic outcomes beyond procurement. At the closing ceremony, Shanghai Mayor Gong Zheng unveiled the Shanghai Physical Intelligence and Robotics Research Institute, while 32 key AI projects were signed with a total investment exceeding 40.9 billion yuan ($5.6 billion). China Unicom committed over 25 billion yuan to smart computing infrastructure in Shanghai, as part of the “UniAI·Smart Connect Shanghai” initiative, according to People’s Daily.

The conference also launched the “2026 International Embodied Intelligence Skills Competition,” signaling China’s push to accelerate the deployment of embodied AI in real-world production scenarios. Startup roadshows featured more than 180 outstanding startups, with over 100 investment institutions and 200 professional investors in attendance.

Geopolitical Dimensions

The establishment of WAICO represents a significant step in China’s efforts to shape global AI governance architecture. Writing for the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, analyst Arindrajit Basu suggested that Beijing may use WAICO to expand its network of AI cooperation centers and shape AI policy discussions at the United Nations. Basu noted that China’s AI diplomacy is pivoting from infrastructure exports toward a more comprehensive effort to recraft global norms and institutions of AI governance.

Heru Sutadi, a digital expert, offered a perspective from the Global South in an interview with Majalah ICT: “WAICO must be more than just an international organization discussing AI developments. It must be a platform that champions the interests of the Global South so that it is not left further behind in the artificial intelligence revolution.” This sentiment highlights concerns about an emerging “AI divide,” where developing nations risk becoming mere consumers of AI technology rather than active participants in its development.

China’s AI Ecosystem in Focus

Shanghai has emerged as a powerhouse in China’s AI sector. According to Shanghai Vice Mayor Chen Jie, the city was home to 394 large-scale AI firms generating total revenue of 637 billion yuan as of 2025, reflecting 39.5% year-on-year growth. Nationally, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology projected that China would produce over 100,000 humanoid robots in 2026, underscoring the scale of the country’s AI ambitions.

The conference showcased cutting-edge AI models from companies like StepFun and MiniMax, next-generation AI smartphones, and Huawei’s Atlas 950 AI node system. Key discussion topics included humanoid robots, advanced AI models, AI coding, and the emerging token economy.

What to Watch

As WAICO moves from agreement to operational reality, several questions remain. The organization’s governance structure, membership expansion, and relationship with existing frameworks — such as the EU AI Act, OECD AI Principles, and the Global Partnership on AI — will shape the future of international AI cooperation. With 29 founding members and an open invitation to all sovereign states, WAICO’s development-oriented approach may appeal to nations seeking AI capacity-building without the regulatory stringency of Western frameworks.

The coming months will reveal whether WAICO can bridge the growing divide in global AI governance — or whether it will deepen the technological fault lines between competing geopolitical blocs.