A concept picture of AI city File photo: VCG

China will host the 2026 World AI Conference (WAIC) and High-Level Meeting on Global AI Governance in Shanghai from July 17 to 20, through which China will promote cooperation in global AI development, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said on Thursday. The conference is set to see record-breaking participation, the Global Times learned from the organizers.

"We are willing to use this conference as an opportunity to work with all parties to jointly discuss technological innovation, jointly promote achievements, enable development, build an inclusive ecosystem, and advance AI for the benefit of all, injecting new momentum into global AI development," Mao said.

When commenting on the rising popularity of Chinese open-source AI models in both the Global South and developed countries, Mao said China actively implements the Global AI Governance Initiative and the AI Global Governance Action Plan, serving as a provider of international public goods and helping Global South countries strengthen their AI capacity building. 

Chinese open-source models represented by DeepSeek and Qwen have greatly reduced the barrier to and cost of using AI, effectively helping all parties, especially developing countries, benefit equally from the wave of intelligence, she added.

Under the theme "AI Partnership for a Brighter Future," the 2026 WAIC aims to highlight AI's transformative potential as a collaborative force while addressing shared challenges and opportunities through international cooperation, cutting-edge research and public engagement, according to a Chinese expert.

This year's WAIC is set to achieve new milestones in scale and influence, bringing together over 1,400 prominent guests, including leading industry figures, top executives and venture capitalists. This edition marks a record-breaking gathering of professional expertise and industry influence in the event's history, the Global Times learned from the organizers.

This exhibition will boast participation by more than 1,100 companies from across the globe, collectively presenting over 3,000 advanced exhibits. Among these, more than 300 new AI solutions are set to make their global debut. 

Furthermore, key categories — such as intelligent computing and embodied AI — will feature contributions from upwards of 200 companies each, showcasing the scope and depth of entrepreneurship in the field, according to the organizers.

It is expected that international exchanges during the event will focus on critical topics such as global AI governance and security, underlying standards for world models and AI agents, bridging the global digital intelligence gap, fair trade within the AI industrial chain, and the development of norms for the humanoid robotics and digital asset sectors, Liu Gang, chief economist at the Chinese Institute of New Generation Artificial Intelligence Development Strategies, told the Global Times on Thursday.

Liu pointed out that unlike some Western countries, China has pursued a distinctive homegrown approach to open-source development, which has significantly strengthened its domestic AI capabilities. This open and collaborative model not only accelerates China's AI progress but also contributes to the sustained growth of the global digital and intelligent economy, particular for developing countries, Liu added.