Event serves as innovation platform

The World Artificial Intelligence Conference, which is now in its ninth consecutive year, has evolved into a premier stage for enterprises to showcase their latest technological advancements — innovations widely expected to empower the workplace and drive industrial transformation, according to experts and industry executives attending the event.

Under the theme "AI Partnership for a Brighter Future", this year's conference is making history with an exhibition area exceeding 100,000 square meters, spanning four venues across Shanghai. Over 1,100 domestic and international companies are set to unveil more than 300 products that are making their world debut during the four-day event, which opens on Friday.

Products and technologies independently developed by Chinese companies are a major highlight of this year's conference.

Shanghai-based StepFun is unveiling STEPX Neo, the world's first smartphone to pass China's new L3 certification for AI terminal intelligence — a level that requires the device to autonomously understand complex user intents, break down tasks and coordinate actions across multiple apps.

The company will also debut its upgraded super AI agent for automobiles to provide better smart cockpit experiences.

StepFun's latest progress is in line with the industry consensus that 2026 marks "the first year of AI agent applications".

According to the United States-based market consultancy IDC, the global AI agent market is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 139 percent from 2025 to 2030.

"We see this year as a turning point for AI agent applications. Agents will move from phones to cars and robots, taking on real-world tasks. As AI agents enter the physical world, they will inevitably face increasingly complex scenarios, and we are fully committed to this sector," said Chen Ruijie, StepFun's public relations manager.

Enflame Technology, a Shanghai-based AI chipmaker, which obtained regulatory approval on July 7 for a STAR Market IPO, has teamed up with domestic tech giant ZTE to release a supernode architecture. This allows different types of AI chips to work together seamlessly in an open and flexible way, providing better performance while keeping total costs low.

Startups are also grabbing the spotlight with their latest breakthroughs.

FrameX AI, a company founded in Beijing by Wang Yuxin, 30, in early May, will debut its interactive video model Genesis, allowing users to enter video content and converse with AI characters in real time.

"Next-gen video tech is about stepping into videos, not just watching them. To win users over, digital characters need to feel human and be truly present," said Wang, adding that the model is built for the global market while also promoting it to Chinese multichannel networks and game developers.

FieldQuantum, another startup founded in January in Beijing, specializes in integrating quantum technology, AI and high-performance computing. It achieved angel financing by June, including from prominent institutions such as Baidu Ventures and venture capital company HSG.

The company will showcase a quantum AI agent platform and a material research and development platform at the event, aiming to empower the development of semiconductor materials and innovative drugs.

Through its first presence at WAIC, FieldQuantum wishes to expand cooperation with more end users, operation system providers and computing infrastructure companies, said Lyu Dingshun, the company's founder.

Multinational companies are equally active in unveiling their latest AI innovations through WAIC. Industry big names including ABB, Schneider Electric and Carl Zeiss are among the exhibitors.

International manufacturing conglomerate Siemens will demonstrate for the first time its engineering agent, which autonomously plans and executes industrial automation engineering tasks.

Xiao Song, chairman, president and CEO of Siemens China, said the nation's diverse industrial landscape, robust manufacturing system, rapid innovation pace and openness to new technologies give it a unique edge in developing industrial AI.

But to turn these strengths into productivity and tackle the structural hurdles of AI adoption, scenario-driven implementation is vital. Siemens is, therefore, committed to deeply integrating its industry expertise, data accumulation and technological innovation to anchor AI in real-world scenarios. Open industrial scenarios and data sharing are crucial to achieving the scaling up of AI and eventually productivity transformation, he said.