2026 WIC forum to explore new opportunities for digital and intelligent health development

As digital and intelligent technologies, including artificial intelligence and big data are rapidly reshaping global healthcare services and the health industry, several key questions are attracting increasing attention: How can technology improve access to healthcare? How can countries overcome geographical barriers to build a Health Silk Road in the digital era? And how can a sustainable ecosystem for the digital and intelligent healthcare be fostered?

Against this backdrop, the Digital and Intelligent Health Forum, a key event of the 2026 World Internet Conference Digital Silk Road Development Forum, will be held on July 22 in Xi'an, the starting point of the ancient Silk Road, in Northwest China's Shaanxi province.

Hosted by the World Internet Conference (WIC) and co-organized by the Health Commission of Shaanxi Province and the Cyberspace Administration of Shaanxi Province, the forum will bring together representatives from government agencies, international organizations, academia, research institutions and industry to explore new opportunities for digital and intelligent health development.

Under the theme "Digital and Intelligent Integration for Health – Building a New Cooperative Ecosystem for Health Innovation," the forum will serve as a high-level international platform for dialogue and cooperation. Government officials, representatives of international organizations, experts from leading medical institutions and research organizations, as well as executives from technology and pharmaceutical companies around the world will exchange insights on advancing healthcare innovation under the Digital Silk Road initiative.

The forum will focus on key issues shaping the future of the sector, including ecosystem building, digital and intelligent healthcare services, industrial innovation, and regional cooperation.

Discussions will explore how digital and intelligent technologies can drive health innovation and foster an open, collaborative industrial ecosystem by promoting greater alignment in policies, technologies and industrial development. Participants will also examine how emerging technologies can enhance healthcare service capacity, accelerate collaborative innovation, and improve the accessibility and efficient allocation of quality medical resources.

Another key topic will be the commercialization of AI-enabled healthcare innovations, with participants discussing sustainable business models and long-term mechanisms for translating technological advances into practical applications.

In addition, a dedicated "Digital and Intelligent Shaanxi" session will showcase local practices in integrating high-quality medical datasets with AI, offering practical experience and scalable models for broader application.

A highlight of the forum will be the official launch of the World Internet Conference Digital and Intelligent Health Working Group, which aims to establish a long-term platform for international collaboration by bringing together stakeholders from industry, academia, research and application. The working group will promote innovation in medical AI, strengthen cross-border cooperation, and provide sustained organizational and intellectual support for the development of the global digital and intelligent health industry.

The forum will also serve as an important starting point for building consensus, pooling industry resources, and advancing the substantive work of the new mechanism.

With digital and intelligent technologies driving healthcare innovation, the Digital and Intelligent Health Forum will chart a new course for international cooperation in Xi'an. By bringing together global partners to advance the integration of healthcare and technology, the forum is expected to inject fresh momentum into building a more sustainable Digital Silk Road.

The 2026 WIC Digital Silk Road Development Forum will take place on July 21 and 22 in Xi'an, under the theme "Pooling Intelligence on the Silk Road, Embarking on a Digital Future - Jointly Building a Community with a Shared Future in Cyberspace."