At the fifth Global Digital Trade Expo (GDTE) in Hangzhou, artificial intelligence is emerging as a product, a service and part of the infrastructure behind digital trade - moving beyond a technology merely on display.
Held from September 23 to 27 under the theme "Meet the AI Future at GDTE," the expo featured more than 2,000 exhibitors across 170,000 square meters. Its AI section showcases data services, model applications, embodied intelligence and smart terminals, while exploring cross-border models such as model-as-a-service.
AI tools are being used for product imaging, overseas inquiry replies and marketing videos, folding once-separate design, translation and operations teams into integrated digital workflows. The Silk Road e-commerce section shows nearly 100 AI applications.
A report released at the expo said global digital trade exports reached $7.75 trillion in 2025 (up 7.1%), with digitally delivered trade at $5.26 trillion (67.9%). China's digitally deliverable service trade grew at an average annual rate of 11.2% from 2016 to 2025.
