From humanoids to Huawei: what to watch as Xi attends China’s WAIC amid US AI rivalry
Gathering will showcase Beijing’s push to compete across the full AI stack, from models and chips to robots, consumer devices
The World AI Conference (WAIC) in Shanghai comes amid an intensifying technology rivalry with the US, whose restrictions continue to constrain China’s access to advanced computing chips. Beijing has responded by making technological self-reliance a national priority and accelerating the development of domestic alternatives across hardware and software.
China has also rejected criticism that its promotion of open-source AI models overseas amounts to a “trap”. Responding on Thursday to a question citing such claims in Western media, foreign ministry spokesman Lin Jian said Beijing opposed drawing ideological lines and imposing technological blockades. He said China would use WAIC to promote exchanges and consensus, while seeking to ensure that the benefits of AI development reached more developing countries.
This year’s WAIC is likely to be read as a test of how far China has progressed towards turning advances in models into a broader industrial ecosystem, as well as how it seeks to shape global rules through academic engagement, safety standards, governance frameworks and international collaboration.
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