Yuelu Conference draws AI experts to discuss future industries

The 2026 Yuelu Conference, themed "Gathering Wisdom, Empowering the Future", opened on Thursday in Xiangjiang New District, Changsha, Central China's Hunan province. The event brought together hundreds of AI companies, industry experts, academics and investors.

Shen Xiaoming, the Party secretary of Hunan, addressed the opening ceremony and highlighted the province's strengths in higher education, a comprehensive industrial system, diverse application scenarios, and a concentration of high-level talent, which collectively offer a blend of "low-cost entrepreneurship and high-quality living".

Building on these strengths, Hunan will focus on future industries such as frontier materials, embodied intelligence, biomanufacturing and green hydrogen, Shen said.

The provincial government will develop specific measures to support future industries, he said, describing the government's role as a "full-lifecycle companion" for those industries.

Han Xinyi, CEO of Ant Group, highlighted AI's transition from the digital realm to the physical world. He noted the increasing role of AI agents in daily life, envisioning a future where users no longer need to open multiple apps for tasks like searching for transport, hotels, and events.