WAIC to adopt new model integrating offline and online

The World Artificial Intelligence Conference 2020 in Shanghai will adopt for the first time a hybrid model where offline exhibitions and online displays take place simultaneously to discuss frontier AI issues.

The third edition of the conference, which is scheduled to take place from July 9 to 11, will employ technologies such as 5G, virtual reality and augmented reality to create an immersive experience showcasing the latest AI applications to a global audience, Wu Jincheng, director of the Shanghai Economic and Informatization Commission, said at a news briefing on Monday.

The organizing committee has invited over 500 industry luminaries, including Turing Prize recipients Manuel Blum and Judea Pearl. The keynote speakers are made up of more than 30 CEOs of technology powerhouses from home and abroad.

Banking on the success of the high-profile dialogue between Jack Ma and Elon Musk during last year's opening ceremony, the conference will roll out initiatives like a "cross-continental video conference" and "AI Night Dialogue", both of which aim to connect industry experts with entrepreneurs from emerging internet companies.

This year's event will see the signing of a series of major projects, the unveiling of new inventions, as well as the rollout of a new batch of AI application scenarios, Wu noted.

To make this edition of the conference more interactive and engaging, the committee has joined hands with leading social media sites such as Bilibili, Ximalaya FM and Zhihu to encourage visitors to upload short videos on these platforms.

Shanghai has long positioned itself as the next international highland for AI innovation. In 2019, the city had 1,100 AI firms with an annual output of around 140 billion yuan ($19.8 billion), according to the commission.