At the 26th China International Industry Fair (CIIF) in Shanghai, artificial intelligence and robotics have emerged as the standout theme, with more than 30 percent of exhibitors coming from abroad and many Fortune 500 companies bringing industrial AI and open-automation technologies. Multinationals are increasing investment in China, shifting the country's role from "manufacturing base" to "innovation origin", CCTV reported.
On the show floor, visitors could watch a desktop companion robot being "hand-made" on an AI hardware generation platform: a natural-language description and model parameters produce a CAD design that is 3D-printed on site and fitted with circuit boards. Hundreds of robotics companies demonstrated humanoids that have evolved from demos into practical tools — their autonomous perception and decision-making lets them adapt flexibly on production lines, support multi-variety small-batch manufacturing and coordinate with other robots.
Aishida said its self-developed industrial humanoid robots are expected to sell 1,000 to 5,000 units in 2027. A Brazilian buyer at the fair said China's AI development was "incredible — far faster than Brazil". Schneider Electric's chairman said the group builds applications on China's open-source models and is working with Chinese partners to deploy AI-enabled next-generation industrial automation, aided by China's abundant electricity supply.
Source: CCTV.com
