AI technologies take center stage at Digital China Summit in Fuzhou

China

AI technologies take center stage at Digital China Summit in Fuzhou

2025-05-03 17:13 Last Updated At：23:27

The two-day 8th Digital China Summit, which concluded on Wednesday in Fuzhou City of east China's Fujian Province, showcased the latest advances in artificial intelligence (AI) technologies, offering a glimpse into the future of daily life.

With an experience area of 56,000-square-meter that will remain open until May 4, the summit aimed to highlight China's strides in digital transformation and the expansion of its digital economy.

One of the most captivating exhibits at the event is an AI-powered household robot, which is poised to become a crucial part of everyday life in the near future.

Designed to take on various household chores, such as sorting out items, the robot is powered by an advanced "embodied AI model" trained with data from hundreds of thousands of real-world interactions.

"We are demonstrating how the robot organizes things in a kitchen. The robot is now distinguishing between fruits, vegetables, and other items. Behind the robot is our embodied AI large language model, which has been trained with data from hundreds of thousands of real-world interactions," explained Zhang Jian, an exhibitor.

In addition to the home assistant robot, the summit featured a collection of AI-powered robotic dogs. These robots are designed for a range of functions -- some patrol forests for disaster prevention, while others serve as community patrollers to assist with local governance.

A particularly unique model is a six-legged robot dog, built to navigate a variety of terrains, making it far more versatile than traditional four-legged models.

"The robot's main function is to make up for some shortcomings in the daily patrol work of grid-based community workers, such as reaching areas that are inaccessible to humans or dangerous sites, like fire scenes," said Dong Yating, another exhibitor.

The fusion of AI with tourism and cultural consumption is also rapidly accelerating. Several exhibitors presented AI-driven travel assistants, which use digital human avatars infused with local cultural elements. These AI assistants offer personalized services such as sightseeing recommendations and route planning for tourists.

"In the future, we will deploy these AI-based digital humans at popular tourist attractions or museums, incorporating them into augmented reality (AR) glasses. Visitors can have a personalized travel companion by simply wearing the glasses," said Xu Huimin, an exhibitor.

With AI continuing to evolve, the event offered a clear vision of how these innovations are set to change the way people live, work, and explore the world.

Lahsa sees booming coffee scene infused with local culture

High in the Himalayas, Lhasa, the capital of southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region, has quietly become one of the country's most caffeinated cities, signaling a fresh business wave in this ancient cultural hub.

With more than 800 coffee shops now serving a population of under one million, the city hosts roughly one cafe for every 1,200 residents, giving it one of the highest cafe densities in the country.

But this is not simply a transplant of Western coffee culture. On Barkhor Street in Lhasa's old town, a historic Buddhist pilgrimage circuit, baristas are stirring centuries-old yak cheese into espresso -- a blend that mirrors the city's transformation from a spiritual center into a modern regional hub.

"We have got this great Xizang-style vibe. There are plenty of cafes in Lhasa, but we are special. Locals -- even 80-year-olds -- come here for Americanos. Plus, lots of tourists, including foreigners, come just to check us out," the owner of Senxia Coffee, a local hotspot, said, revealing the secret behind his cafe's pull.

That dedication to innovation and presenting Xizang's culture through every cup have earned the shop a loyal following.

"I make a trip here once a year. It is my fourth year coming. The taste never changes, but they always have a new special to try -- and it is always great!" said a tourist from the eastern municipality Tianjin.

"It's very unique, I like it a lot. It's good coffee and it's a very nice place. The courtyard here is different than a courtyard in Germany would be," a German tourist offered similar praise.

In 2025, Lhasa's GDP crossed the 100-billion-yuan (about 14.7 billion US dollars) mark creating fertile ground for entrepreneurs, who found coffee as a light-asset business easy to start with -- small footprint, fast setup, easy to brand.

Amid intense competitions, businesses loyal to their hometown and home culture wins, Senxia's owner said.

"There are tons of entrepreneurs here. Local college grads are coming back to start businesses, and friends from inland are moving here to do the same. So the competition is actually fierce. With so many cafes around, we feel pretty lucky to have made it, and we have definitely got our own unique vibe," he said.