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AI's Next Act: From Chatting to Doing at Shanghai's Bund Conference

AI's Next Act: From Chatting to Doing at Shanghai's Bund Conference

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SHANGHAI — The 2026 Inclusion·Bund Conference opened this morning at the Huangpu Expo Park, and this year's theme says it all: "Creating a New AI Economy." The spotlight? AI's leap from simply generating content to actually executing tasks.

Three Big Ideas, One Massive Gathering

Organizers have structured the event around three core areas: Intelligent Leap, Economic Restructuring, and Human-Centered Future. Over 600 speakers from around the globe are taking part—including Nobel laureate Thomas J. Sargent, Philippe Aghion, and Zhang Hongjiang of Source Code Capital. They're joined by heavyweights like Wang Jian of Zhejiang Lab, Lu Chaoyang from USTC, and Princeton's Wang Mengdi. Economists Huang Yiping, Miao Yanliang, and Xing Ziqiang are also on hand, along with tech practitioners Han Xinyi, Zhou Jingren, Liu Zuohu, and Jorn Lambert. Together, they'll dig into how AI is rewriting the rules of economies, industries, and social well-being.

A Tech Expo That Shows, Not Tells

Step into the 15,000-square-meter exhibition hall, and you'll see AI in action. More than 300 companies are demonstrating real-world applications: intelligent agents connecting commerce, AI health tools entering homes, and payment agents that don't just handle affairs—they execute transactions. AI is stepping out of the office and into after-hours life services. Embodied intelligence is also on display, with over 40 manufacturers showing robots in practical jobs. New supply and new demand are firing up simultaneously, and both individuals and businesses are finding fresh opportunities.

Beyond the Main Stage

The conference isn't just about talks. Throughout the week, attendees can join the Innovators Stage, Tech Innovation Competition, Developer Day, Startup Meetup, Tech Talent Recruitment Fair, and AI Art Festival. Participants hail from over 50 countries and regions, making this a truly global gathering.

Key Points

  • Theme: "Creating a New AI Economy" – focusing on AI's transition from generation to execution.
  • Scale: 1 main forum, 40+ insight forums, 600+ speakers, 300+ exhibitors.
  • Key speakers: Nobel laureate Thomas J. Sargent, Philippe Aghion, Zhang Hongjiang, Wang Jian, and others.
  • Exhibition highlights: AI agents, health tech, payment agents, embodied robots from 40+ manufacturers.
  • Global reach: Participants from over 50 countries and regions.

As AI moves from chatting to doing, the Bund Conference is painting a vivid picture of what's next. And it's not just about technology—it's about how we'll live, work, and thrive in an AI-powered world.