(Yicai) June 18 -- More than 300 artificial intelligence products are expected to make their global debut at the upcoming 2026 World AI Conference and High-Level Meeting on Global AI Governance, which will also host a high-level, international top-tier academic conference on AI for the first time.

The WAIC will be held in Shanghai from July 17 to 20 this year, Tang Wenkan, director of the Shanghai Municipal Commission of Economy and Informatization, said at a press conference yesterday. It will feature six major sections: Conference and Forum, Display and Exhibition, Contest and Award, Application and Experience, Innovation and Incubation, and Talent and Recruitment.

The exhibition section will cover an area of over 100,000 square meters, with more than 1,100 companies participating and showcasing over 3,000 exhibits, including 300 AI products making their global debut, Tang noted. A One Person Company zone will be established for the first time, featuring 180 entities.

More than 140 thematic forums will be held during the WAIC, with over 1,400 invited speakers. For the first time, the WAIC Academic conference will take place, featuring prominent scholars, such as Turing Award winners Andrew Chi-Chih Yao and Richard Sutton. So far, 284 valid applications from 10 countries and regions have been submitted.

WAIC Academic aims to create an open and fair international academic platform, Shu Qingshan, deputy secretary-general of the China Computer Federation, told Yicai. "In the face of barriers and disturbances in international academic exchanges, we firmly believe that science knows no borders, and academia should return to being open, fair, and free."

The WAIC will also focus on nurturing AI startups and building an industrial ecosystem, according to Tang. It will collaborate with multiple venture capital institutions and over 200 professional investors to establish a dedicated investment matchmaking area, empowering the implementation of high-quality AI projects.

Since its establishment in 2018, the WAIC has been annually held in Shanghai, gradually growing into one of the most influential industry events in the global AI sector.

Editors: Dou Shicong, Futura Costaglione