The Huangpu River waterfront welcomes the Artificial Intelligence Conference, focusing on global governance and cooperation

The 2026 World Artificial Intelligence Conference and HighLevel Meeting on Global AI Governance will be held in Shanghai from July 17 to 20, with Xi Jinping attending the opening ceremony and delivering a keynote speech. Since 2018, the conference has been held consecutively in Shanghai. This year’s theme is "Intelligent Partners, CoCreating the Future," and it will invite government officials, scholars, industry representatives, and representatives from international organizations from many countries to attend. The report notes that artificial intelligence has become an important force driving industrial upgrading and highquality development. In recent years, China has continuously advanced AI development in multiple fiveyear plans and related policies, and has promoted its application in areas such as smart terminals, industrial manufacturing, healthcare, and urban governance. The related industry scale has surpassed one trillion yuan, and the industry focus is also shifting from model development to practical applications. The article also emphasizes that AI governance is global in nature, and all parties are watching whether this conference can generate broader consensus in opposing technological monopolies, promoting inclusive development, strengthening capacity building, and enhancing international cooperation. China has already proposed a Global AI Governance Initiative and is exploring governance pathways through systems such as algorithm filing, security assessments, and content labeling. The Shanghai Declaration and Action Plan formed at previous conferences have also provided a reference for global AI governance cooperation.