#China #Artificial Intelligence #electric vehicles #Chongqing

The Rise of AI and Electric Vehicles at the World Smart Industry Expo in Chongqing

The 2025 World Smart Industry Expo was inaugurated on September 5th in Chongqing, featuring a remarkable display from over 550 companies showcasing more than 3,000 innovations. This expo underscores the substantial impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on our industries and everyday lives, particularly highlighting advancements in autonomous driving, AI-driven cabins, XR films, and robotic cafes.

With a theme centered around "AI+" and intelligent connected new energy vehicles (NEVs), this year’s expo brings significant focus on digital urban governance, robotics, smart living, and low-altitude economy. Distinguished at the event, Singapore was dubbed the "Guest of Honor Country," alongside Sichuan province as the "Guest of Honor Province."

During the opening ceremony, nine prominent speakers took the stage to elucidate how AI is propelling social change. Harry Shum Heung-Yeung, president of the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology and an elected member of the US National Academy of Engineering, highlighted the emergence of embedded intelligence, predicting a future where robots learn, adapt, and collaborate efficiently within real-world scenarios. Meanwhile, Cedrik Neike, board member and CEO of Siemens AG Digital Industries, reaffirmed that AI is accelerating the shift towards software-defined automation, enabling industries to become more flexible, efficient, and sustainable.

The expo also facilitated 11 networking events dedicated to AI, digital transformation, and capital financing, drawing participants from industry giants like Huawei and Baidu, as well as 40 investment institutions. Contracts exceeding 200 billion yuan (approximately $27.5 billion) were finalized, including on-site agreements totaling 120 billion yuan.

Moreover, flagship projects such as Geely's smart manufacturing initiative are set to bolster supply chains and accelerate the "33618" advanced manufacturing cluster strategy in Chongqing. This municipal strategy aims to modernize the industrial structure and develop a nationally significant advanced manufacturing center, driving growth in new-generation electric vehicles, electronics, materials, food processing, textiles, and biomedicine.

The NEV pavilion at the expo displayed 20 global automobile manufacturers including Changan, Seres, and Tesla, backed by over 100 component suppliers and ecosystem partners. They presented advancements in smart driving, software-defined vehicles, and intelligent manufacturing.

Furthermore, the expo served as an ideal platform for launching new technologies, such as Changan's “SDA Intelligence” brand, Chongqing's low-altitude smart management service platform, an open computing architecture for AI, Sugon's AI supercluster system, and China’s NEV Challenge.

Since its inception in 2018, previously known as the Smart China Expo, the World Smart Industry Expo has evolved into a pivotal platform for digital innovation, uniting industry leaders, academia, and policymakers to showcase technological advancements and encourage global collaboration.