Chinese President Xi Jinping will make his first in-person appearance at China’s flagship artificial intelligence summit in Shanghai, attending the opening ceremony and delivering a keynote address. The event is the World AI Conference and High-Level Meeting on Global AI Governance, held for multiple days in mid-July. Previously, Xi had typically sent congratulatory messages rather than attending personally, with other senior officials leading the event. This year’s attendance underscores the growing role Beijing assigns to AI amid intensifying technology competition with the United States.
The conference’s theme is described by China’s foreign ministry as “AI Partnership for a Brighter Future.” Organisers say the programme will span several areas in Shanghai and include large numbers of forums, international guests, and participating companies. Alongside the main conference, a high-level global AI governance meeting is expected to bring together representatives from dozens of countries and international organisations to discuss shared AI standards.
Chinese officials frame the summit as a platform for international cooperation and AI capacity-building, while the broader context includes ongoing disputes over access to advanced AI systems, export controls, and allegations involving intellectual property.
