China’s top artificial intelligence (AI) conference, the World Artificial Intelligence Conference (WAIC) 2025 and the High-level Meeting on Global AI Governance will be held in Shanghai from July 26 to 28, according to a Shanghai official on Thursday. The event is set to highlight remarkable progress in the AI sector, which has witnessed the emergence of cutting-edge technologies such as large language models (LLMs) and humanoid robots over the past year, said industry experts.
Under the theme of "Global Solidarity in the AI Era," this year’s conference is poised to be the most extensive to date, boasting more than 70,000 square meters of exhibition space, 800 enterprises, and 3,000 exhibits, Zhang Ying, director of the Shanghai Municipal Commission of Economy and Informatization, said during a news conference on Thursday.
The event will feature 3,000 cutting-edge exhibits, including LLMs, AI terminal products, and robots. For the first time, the conference will feature a dedicated exhibition area showcasing more than 40 LLMs, 50 AI terminal products, and 60 intelligent robots developed by both Chinese and international companies, the event’s organizing committee told the Global Times on Thursday.
More than 100 products will make their global or China debut via the WAIC, also a new record.
More than 1,200 officials, industry leaders and scientists from 30 countries and regions have confirmed their participation in this year’s WAIC, including representatives from industry giants such as Siemens and Schneider, as well as domestic leading tech companies such as Alibaba, Tencent, MiniMax, Unitree Robotics and iFlytek, according to the organizer.
China will also announce a global AI open-source cooperation initiative in collaboration with some organizations at this year’s WAIC 2025, Du Guangda, deputy director of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology’s tech department, said on Thursday.
This initiative will call for global cooperation through open-source efforts to jointly explore technological innovation pathways, promote the application of technological achievements, build inclusive open-source communities, and share the benefits of development, Du added.
"I believe two hot keywords at this year’s WAIC2025 are AI applications and AI terminals. This trend signifies a global shift from expensive technical models to more accessible open-source AI," Tian Feng, president of the Fast Think Institute and former dean of Chinese AI software giant SenseTime’s Intelligence Industry Research Institute, told the Global Times on Thursday.
Tian said that at this year’s event, the hit AI applications, commercial applications, and new AI terminal products will become increasingly diverse, providing more consumer motivation. "The AI toy market is expected to explode this year, especially in the next three months," Tian said, with many traditional toys transforming into interactive and even trainable AI pets that can communicate.
Liu Gang, chief economist at the Chinese Institute of New Generation AI Development Strategies, told the Global Times on Thursday, "This year, with the introduction of models like DeepSeek’s latest R1 model and the Qwen3 model developed by Alibaba, we’ve seen significant advancements in LLMs. These models are not only more powerful but also more cost-effective, making it easier to deploy them on a wide range of devices, from smartphones and automobiles to other cutting-edge technologies."
Liu emphasized that 2025 is witnessing the "extensive application" of AI, marking a shift from the previous focus on smaller models. Special attention at this year’s event will be paid to vertical and industry-specific AI models tailored for sectors such as healthcare, finance, legal, manufacturing, e-commerce and beyond, indicating a broader expansion of AI applications.
As the development of AI has entered a new stage of large-scale application, the WAIC 2025 exhibition will also delve into the frontiers of humanoid robot. Visitors will have the opportunity to explore the latest advancements in this field, the organizer told the Global Times.
As AI and robotics technologies continue to mature, humanoid robots are expected to become more capable and affordable, driving widespread adoption. "Perhaps the most striking aspect of this forecast is the projected compound annual growth rate of over 40 percent for the next 25 years, Phyllis Wang, a UBS analyst told the Global Times on Thursday. "This rapid growth is attributed to several key factors, including technological advancements, cost reductions, and increasing demand from both commercial and consumer sectors," she said.
原文地址：http://en.people.cn/n3/2025/0711/c90000-20338942.html