The 2026 World Artificial Intelligence Conference (WAIC) and High-Level Meeting on Global AI Governance will be held in Shanghai, China, from July 17 to 20, under the theme “AI Partnership for a Brighter Future.” Chinese President Xi Jinping will attend the opening ceremony and deliver a keynote speech. The conference will feature more than 140 forums and attract over 1,400 participants. An exhibition spanning over 100,000 square metres will showcase the latest AI innovations, with more than 1,100 companies presenting over 3,000 exhibits, including more than 300 products making their global debut. High-profile speakers include reinforcement learning pioneer Richard Sutton and deep learning expert Yoshio Bengio. A key focus will be global AI governance, with representatives from dozens of countries and international organisations set to attend.