Photo by The Future of AI: Insights from the World Artificial Intelligence Conference 2024
The World Artificial Intelligence Conference 2024 (WAIC 2024) has come to a close, leaving behind a trail of exciting innovations and thought-provoking discussions. Held in Shanghai from July 7-9, the conference saw a record-breaking 300,000 offline visitors and 1.9 billion online engagements, marking a 90% increase from the previous year.
The WAIC 2024 conference in Shanghai
AI Governance Takes Center Stage
This year’s conference featured over 500 companies and more than 1,500 exhibits, with AI governance emerging as a key topic of focus. The concept of embodied intelligence, which enables intelligent systems to understand, reason, and interact with the physical world, was a major trend at the conference.
Humanoid robots at the WAIC 2024 conference
AI Assistants and Humanoid Robots Steal the Show
Among the many exhibits, AI assistants integrated with large language models (LLMs) and humanoid robots stood out. The Alipay Intelligent Assistant, for instance, offers over 8,000 digital life services in areas such as travel, health, government, and finance. Tongyi Lingcode of Aliyun, proficient in more than 200 programming languages, assists in writing, reading, debugging, and optimizing code.
AI assistants at the WAIC 2024 conference
Video-Generated LLM and Unmanned Vehicle Technology
Visitors were particularly drawn to video-generated LLM and completely unmanned, human-carrying vehicle technology. The concept of embodied intelligence brought humanoid robots into the spotlight, with the “18 Buddha’s warrior attendant” humanoid robots at the venue’s entrance attracting many visitors.
Unmanned vehicles at the WAIC 2024 conference
Public Focus on AI Governance and Limitations
Two related topics made it to Weibo’s Hot Searches: #Kuaishou Kling AI Ushers in the Strongest Update# and #CCTV Reporter Tests AI That Animates Old Photos#. The public is increasingly interested in AI governance and the limitations of AI technology.
AI governance discussions at the WAIC 2024 conference
The Future of AI
As the conference came to a close, it was clear that AI governance will play a crucial role in shaping the future of AI. With the European Parliament adopting the Artificial Intelligence Act (AI Act), the industry is poised for significant changes.
The future of AI
