China Media Group unveils top 10 AI trends for 2026

China Media Group on Friday released the top 10 AI trends for 2026 in collaboration with the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology and several institutions.

The Top 10 AI trends for 2026 are as follows:

1. Globalization of AI governance Inclusive sharing of AI benefits has become a core issue on the global development agenda.

2. Scaling of intelligent computing power The supply of key industrial elements will be further strengthened as intelligent computing power expands to meet the massive demands.

3. Mainstreaming of AI applications AI agents will move from experimental stages into widespread real-world use, becoming deeply embedded in daily life and industrial scenarios.

4. Practicalization of multimodal AI AI technology will evolve from a specialized tool into a versatile, multi-modal partner.

5. Proliferation of native AI terminal hardware A new generation of AI terminals will integrate seamlessly with immersive consumer experiences.

6. Embodiment of AI Intelligence The integration of "Physical AI" and "Embodied Intelligence" will drive deep interaction between robots and the real world.

7. Specialization and deepening in professional fields "AI for Science" is set to produce groundbreaking discoveries in basic disciplines.

8. Convergence of frontier disciplines Innovation will accelerate through the convergence of brain-inspired intelligence and other interdisciplinary fields.

9. Prominence of energy challenges As the energy consumption becomes a prominent challenge, the development of sustainable and "Green AI" technologies will gain significant global attention.

10. Intensification of safety and adversarial dynamics An intensifying battle for safety and governance will be crucial to safeguard all this progress.

China Media Group unveils top 10 AI trends for 2026

The Langqi passenger terminal in Fuzhou of east China's Fujian Province officially commenced a new departure tax refund initiative for travelers heading on the "mini three links" route on Tuesday, with streamlined measures boosting the efficiency of tax refunds and speeding up customs clearance procedures.

The "mini three links" refers to direct trade, postal and transport services launched in 2001 between Fujian Province and the Taiwan-administered Kinmen and Matsu islands. It serves as a vital, convenient cross-strait passage for personnel exchanges and economic and trade interactions between the Chinese mainland and the Taiwan region.

At the heart of the upgraded service is an optimized procedure dubbed the "one document, one bag, one code" process, a simple and streamlined model designed to shorten clearance time for outbound passengers.

Under this framework, travelers who make purchases at designated pilot tax refund stores can have their qualified goods consolidated into a single sealed bag, with all corresponding tax refund information integrated into a unique QR code printed on the tax refund application form.

When departing via the Langqi passenger terminal, on-site customs officers only need to scan the QR code to retrieve and verify the details relating to the applicant's tax refund application. Travelers can then get quick customs clearance once the information is confirmed to be accurate, with no requirement to open their sealed shopping bags for repeated inspections.

Departure tax refund services launched at "mini three links" port in Fuzhou