Shanghai is embracing its major tech moment by hosting the largest gathering for innovation and technology, reinforcing its leading position as an international center for digital growth and the development of smart solutions that serve humanity.
- Global Technology Conference kicks off in Shanghai
- Exhibition expansion and launch of new tech innovations
- Tech governance and building international strategic partnerships
- Massive investments and driving economic growth
- Supporting academic talent and open tech communities
- Frequently asked questions
Global Technology Conference kicks off in Shanghai
The historic Chinese city of Shanghai is witnessing the launch of this year’s largest and most anticipated technological event, as the 2026 Global Technology Conference and the high-level meeting on the global governance of these technologies officially begin, scheduled from Friday to Monday. This major and anticipated event comes under the theme «Tech Partnership for a Bright Future», featuring the organization of more than 140 specialized forums and bringing together around 1,400 VIP guests, experts, and decision-makers from within China and abroad. The conference is characterized by its precise organizational division into six main sections, including: specialized conferences and forums, exhibitions and live innovation displays, motivational awards and competitions, interactive practical application experiences, innovation and business incubators, and talent acquisition programs. The conference events will be hosted across four main locations in vital districts of Shanghai, such as the Pudong and Xuhui districts, with activities including the public opening main forum, sub-forums, advanced smart device exhibitions, and cultural entertainment experiences blending technology with art.
Exhibition expansion and launch of new tech innovations
For the first time in the conference’s successful history, the total exhibition area will exceed the 100,000 square meter mark, with confirmed expectations of participation from more than 1,100 global technology giants and promising startups. Event organizers explained that exhibitors will present more than 3,000 modern and innovative products and technologies, with the exclusive unveiling of over 300 global products debuting to the public at this gathering. Among the most prominent exhibition highlights drawing attention and making news headlines are Huawei’s computing super-node system known as «Atlas 950», the brand-new multimodal foundational model «MiniMax M3», the world’s first smartphone relying entirely and fundamentally on autonomous smart agent technologies, alongside a diverse and advanced display of humanoid robots and highly dexterous robotic hands powered by advanced algorithms that mimic human movements with high precision, opening horizons for industrial and medical applications.
Tech governance and building international strategic partnerships
China has successfully hosted this prominent global event for eight consecutive years, with the conference serving as a vital and effective platform to build global partnerships genuinely aimed at unlocking technological benefits for everyone and universalizing them across borders. Since its initial launch, the conference has also become an indispensable key platform to showcase China’s immense technological progress, bring leading academics and industry pioneers under one roof, and present a balanced, forward-looking, and responsible perspective on global governance in this sensitive field full of legislative challenges. Six central government ministries and commissions in the country are enthusiastically co-hosting and organizing this year’s event, including the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the National Development and Reform Commission, alongside the Cyberspace Administration of China, the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the China Association for Science and Technology, and the Shanghai Municipal People’s Government, reflecting strong support for innovative initiatives and enhancing China’s position on the international tech map.
Massive investments and driving economic growth
China has significantly boosted its financial investment support for intensive technology development, and Shanghai, as one of the country’s leading hubs for technological innovation, has designated this growing industry as a key and direct driver of sustainable and prosperous economic growth. Chen Jie, Vice Mayor of Shanghai, pointed out with confidence that the city has successfully built an integrated and interconnected development ecosystem combining independent innovation, economic growth driven by wide practical applications, trade openness and mutual cooperation, coordinated development of the industrial ecosystem, and cybersecurity and data governance. By late 2025, the city hosted approximately 394 major companies in this vital sector, and its total industrial scope exceeded an astonishing amount of nearly 637 billion yuan (equivalent to about $93.7 billion USD), representing a remarkable annual increase of 39.5 percent. To ensure the permanence of this success, a massive national industrial investment fund worth 60 billion yuan was established, alongside an additional local investment fund worth 22.5 billion yuan in the city. The city is currently accelerating the development of smart terminal station industries, including the production of interactive smart glasses and advanced phones, and this specific industry size is expected to exceed 300 billion yuan by the upcoming 2027.
Supporting academic talent and open tech communities
Recognizing the importance of the human element, 14 major and prestigious universities in Shanghai have established specialized research institutes equipped with the latest technologies, and there are 19 universities offering relevant and direct academic specializations to support and train young talents. Today, the city hosts nearly 300,000 specialized talents and experts, representing one-third of the national competencies available in this vital field. At the same time, more than 150,000 advanced software models have been gathered and shared in the city’s active open-source communities, forming a fertile and attractive environment that has caught the attention and contributions of over 10 million global developers actively contributing to accelerating the pace of technological development and innovating software solutions serving all consumer and industrial sectors.
Frequently asked questions
Question: When and where will the 2026 Global Artificial Intelligence Conference be held?
Answer: The prominent event is taking place in the Chinese city of Shanghai, running from Friday to Monday, distributed across four main locations within the city to accommodate diverse activities.
Question: What are the most prominent technologies to be unveiled for the first time at the tech exhibition?
Answer: The exhibition will witness the launch of the first smartphone relying entirely on smart agent technology, an advanced supercomputing system called Atlas 950, and advanced humanoid robot models that accurately simulate human movement.
Question: How does the Shanghai municipal government support technology companies and startups?
Answer: Massive amounts have been allocated and national and local investment funds exceeding 82 billion Chinese yuan have been established to support the path of innovation and finance ambitious companies in the sector.
Question: What is the scale of talent and specialized human resources in this field within the city?
Answer: Thanks to broad academic support from universities, the city currently hosts about 300,000 specialized talents representing a massive human force to support the path of technological development and scientific research.
Question: How are open-source communities available in Shanghai utilized?
Answer: These communities provide more than 150,000 software models, attracting millions of developers from around the world to collaborate, share codes, and build innovative technological solutions and applications collaboratively.
