Serving craft beer, playing mahjong, stacking shelves and boxing, the dozens of humanoid robots at Shanghai’s World AI Conference (WAIC) this weekend were embodiments of China’s growing AI prowess and ambition. The annual event is primed at showcasing China’s progress in the ever-evolving field of artificial intelligence, with the government aiming to position the country as a world leader on both technology and regulation as it snaps at the United States’ heels. Opening the event on Saturday, Premier Li Qiang announced China would set up a new organization for cooperation on AI governance, warning the benefits of development must be balanced with the risks. But in the cavernous expo next door, the mood was more giddy than concerned. “Demand is currently very strong, whether in terms of data, scenarios, model training, or artificial construction. The overall atmosphere in all these areas is very lively,” said Yang Yifan, R&D director at Transwarp, a Shanghai-based AI platform provider. This year’s WAIC is the first since a breakthrough moment for Chinese AI this January when startup DeepSeek unveiled an AI model that performed as well as top US systems for an apparent fraction of the cost. Organizers said the forum involved more than 800 companies, showcasing over 3,000 products—the undeniable crowd pleasers being the humanoid robots and their raft of slightly surreal party tricks.

Full opinion : The Shanghai’s World AI Conference (WAIC) shows how important humanoid robots are to China’s AI ambitions.