World Intelligence Expo 2026 Highlights AI-Industry Integration

The World Intelligence Expo 2026 officially opened on Thursday (28 May) in Tianjin, northern China, bringing together over 700 exhibitors to showcase cutting-edge AI technologies, products, and application scenarios. Organised jointly by the governments of Tianjin and Chongqing cities in China, the four-day event, themed ‘Intelligence: Extensive Development Space, Sustainable Growth Driver’, featured seven exhibition zones covering embodied AI, core AI technologies, low-altitude economy, and commercial space exploration, spanning a total area of 130,000 square metres. The expo attracted leading companies, including Fortune Global 500 firms and top domestic AI enterprises. Industry participants noted that AI integration is accelerating, boosting efficiency in traditional sectors and fostering new business models. China’s Vice Minister of Industry and Information Technology, Ke Jixin, stated the ministry would collaborate with all stakeholders to advance high-quality AI industry development, promote the ‘AI + Manufacturing’ initiative, strengthen innovation capabilities, and improve the industrial environment. China’s National Data Administration Chief Liu Liehong said high-quality data sets serve as technical resources and innovation engines for advanced manufacturing intelligence. ‘We support industry leaders and demonstration entities in industrial manufacturing to build high-quality industrial data sets in key sectors including automotive, shipbuilding, rail transit, non-ferrous metals, and petrochemicals,’ Liu added. As countries worldwide seek to bolster industries through AI, China is actively promoting international collaboration in the field. ‘We have prioritised AI in bilateral and multilateral technology cooperation. We will deepen international collaboration in AI and strengthen technological innovation and capacity building,’ said China’s Vice Minister of Science and Technology, Chen Jiachang. UAE Ambassador to China Hussain bin Ibrahim Al Hammadi expressed his expectations for the collaboration. China’s approach to using technology to improve societal welfare aligns with the UAE’s vision of building a future-focused innovative and knowledge-based economy,’ he said. The ambassador also highlighted vast opportunities for deeper cooperation between China and the UAE in AI, advanced technologies, and the digital economy. Despite competition in the AI sector, China Association for Science and Technology President Wan Gang stated that mutually beneficial collaboration remains the mainstream aspiration. China shares its AI application experiences, including smart cities, manufacturing, and agriculture, with developing nations through inclusive products and services to address shared challenges. Kazakhstan was one of the honoured guest countries at this year’s expo. Zhuldyz Serik, senior manager at Astana Hub, a Kazakhstan-based IT startup innovation cluster, engaged in enthusiastic discussions with Chinese tech companies at the event. ‘I am amazed by China’s rapid progress, especially in electric vehicles and AI. Chinese companies are highly capable, and their technologies are advancing at an impressive pace. We sincerely invite Chinese tech firms, particularly those in the Internet of Things (IoT), financial technology, and medical technology and software, to explore cooperation opportunities in Kazakhstan,’ Serik said. The expo runs until Sunday (31 May). Over 200 new products, technologies, achievements, and research reports will be launched during the event, covering embodied AI, intelligent connected vehicles, low-altitude economy, smart manufacturing, and smart living concepts.