WUZHEN, CHINA — The 2026 World Internet Conference opened on November 3, with the event’s theme

WUZHEN, CHINA — The 2026 World Internet Conference opened on November 3, with the event’s theme “Open Source, Shared Construction — Working Together to Build a Community of a Shared Future in Cyberspace” highlighting global efforts to shape artificial intelligence’s role in society, GUANGMING DAILY reported. Over 54 countries and regions participated, featuring 27 forums and 671 companies showcasing 1,000+ technologies at the “Internet Light” exhibition, including humanoid robots and AI-driven solutions for agriculture and urban management.

AI Robots Showcase at “Internet Light” Exhibition

The “Internet Light” exhibition, held ahead of the conference, displayed 30+ “embodied intelligence” robots from companies like Zhizhuan, Ubtech, Unitree, and Zhongke Fifth Century. A globally unique two-legged humanoid robot capable of playing badminton and table tennis with human players drew significant attention, demonstrating rapid reflexes and adaptive skills, GUANGMING DAILY reported.

Digital Empowerment in Rural China

Parallel to the technical showcases, the conference highlighted digital initiatives transforming rural areas. The platform also featured “African Daughter-in-Law” Lu Si, a social media influencer with 15 million followers, and Nigerian entrepreneur Zhengzewei, who shared insights on digital rural revitalization, GUANGMING DAILY noted.

Open-Source Initiatives Drive Global Collaboration

Open-source development emerged as a central theme. Chinese AI firm DeepSeek announced plans to fully open its internal inference framework and decoding components, aiming to democratize large model access, GUANGMING DAILY reported. This follows 2025’s “Six Small Dragons” dialogue, emphasizing cross-border collaboration. The conference also addressed digital divides, with organizers stressing open-source practices as a means to ensure equitable technology distribution.

AI Transforms Traditional Industries

The event showcased AI’s integration into traditional sectors. In Puyuan, a Zhejiang textile hub, AI mirrors allowed customers to virtually try on wool sweaters, while “Fire Eye Sentinel” AI systems enhanced safety. These applications rely on “pulsating computing power + large model support,” according to conference officials, GUANGMING DAILY noted. Meanwhile, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and submersibles demonstrated AI’s growing role in physical-world operations.

Global Cases Highlight Digital Inclusion

The “Building a Community of a Shared Future in Cyberspace” initiative recognized projects like Nigeria’s rural internet infrastructure and Arm’s neural network technology. These cases, selected from 2026’s “Outstanding Contribution Awards,” exemplify efforts to bridge the digital divide, GUANGMING DAILY reported.

AI’s Role in Scientific Research

A November 4 forum explored AI’s evolving role in scientific discovery, moving from tool to collaborator.