WAIC 2026 unites industry leaders to advance dialogue and collaboration
BEIJING, July 8, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- A news report from China Daily:
The 2026 World Artificial Intelligence Conference and High-Level Meeting on Global AI Governance, set to take place in Shanghai from July 17 to 20, will provide a global stage for fostering collaboration, governance and innovation in the field of AI.
Under the theme "AI Partnership for a Brighter Future", the event aims to highlight AI's transformative potential as a collaborative force while addressing shared challenges and opportunities through international cooperation, cutting-edge research and public engagement.
The conference is jointly organized by national entities such as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the National Development and Reform Commission, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Science and Technology, alongside the Shanghai government. With a focus on the transformation of AI from a technical tool to a collaborative partner, the event aims to boost global governance and shared growth of cities and industries.
"China looks forward to taking the conference as an opportunity to further strengthen international cooperation on AI with all parties," said Zhou Haibing, deputy head of the National Development and Reform Commission, at a recent news conference.
Zhou emphasized that AI governance is a global issue vital to the future of humanity, adding that China remains steadfast in its commitment to multilateralism, openness and inclusivity.
By promoting international cooperation and offering Chinese solutions to global AI-related challenges, the country aims to balance growth and security, ensuring that AI development serves the greater good, the senior official noted.
Unprecedented scale
This year's WAIC is set to achieve new milestones in scale and influence, bringing together over 1,400 prominent guests, including leading industry figures, top executives and venture capitalists. Twelve national ministries and commissions, eight key national laboratories, more than 10 international organizations, over 10 prestigious research institutes and 20-plus world-class universities will all take part. This edition marks a record-breaking gathering of professional expertise and industry influence in the event's history.
Complementing the extensive conference agenda is an exhibition that spans 100,000 square meters across three key locations in Shanghai. The Shanghai World Expo Exhibition and Convention Center will act as a comprehensive display hub for AI applications, enabling companies to showcase a wide range of solutions across multiple industries. Meanwhile, the West Bund area will offer a futuristic technology exploration area, and the Zhangjiang area will emphasize smart infrastructure as a driving force for innovation.
This exhibition will boast participation by more than 1,100 companies from across the globe, collectively presenting over 3,000 advanced exhibits. Among these, more than 300 new AI solutions are set to make their global debut.
Furthermore, key categories — such as intelligent computing and embodied AI — will feature contributions from upwards of 200 companies each, showcasing the scope and depth of entrepreneurship in the field.
This year, 180 one-person companies, or OPCs, and startups representing the most dynamic and fast-growing areas of AI innovation will showcase their outcomes. Selected from a pool of 1,200 applicants, these companies are largely focused on industry applications, embodied and terminal AI solutions, infrastructure, and cutting-edge technologies. The first two sectors have emerged as particularly competitive arenas.
Creative format
A groundbreaking component of this year's conference is the debut of WAIC Academic, a high-level international academic forum that represents a significant milestone for AI scholarship. As one of the most closely watched initiatives of the event, WAIC Academic will feature a world-class lineup spearheaded by Turing Award recipients and renowned academicians from China and beyond.
To date, the forum has received 332 paper submissions, of which 284 have been accepted. The contributions come from more than 10 countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Japan, Singapore, France and Spain.
Participating institutions include renowned international universities such as Princeton, Cambridge, Imperial College London and Nanyang Technological University, along with top Chinese universities such as Tsinghua University, Peking University, Shanghai Jiao Tong University and Fudan University.
To invigorate innovation and cultivate young talent, the conference has revamped its awards system, which includes the SAIL (Super AI Leader) Award, the Young Outstanding Paper Award and the Yunfan Award.
New initiatives include an OPC challenge and a youth-focused competition designed to encourage individual innovation, as well as a host of AI-themed events tailored for younger participants. These efforts are aimed at nurturing the next generation of leaders, bridging the gap between theory and practice, and empowering promising talents to shape the future of AI innovation.
In addition to its industry-led events, WAIC 2026 will engage directly with the public through its innovative WAIC City Walk program. This initiative invites Shanghai's residents and visitors to explore AI applications in their daily lives via six curated thematic routes.
These routes connect more than 30 unique AI-focused landmarks, including shopping malls, museums, experience centers and neighborhoods, spread across 16 districts in Shanghai. By transforming the entire city into an interactive exhibition space, the program allows people to experience the tangible benefits of AI and its role in facilitating Shanghai's ongoing digital transformation.
From global AI governance discussions to localized industry applications, and from large-scale exhibitions to inclusive community activities, WAIC 2026 promises to present AI development in its most dynamic and multifaceted forms. By integrating themes of global governance, academic excellence, industrial collaboration and public engagement, the conference sets a bold vision for the next phase of AI development.
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Shanghai to host pioneering international AI conference
- Merz Aesthetics introduces its 2026 campaign "See My Skin, Lift My Way", celebrating individuality, authenticity and the belief that every skin journey is unique, during an event in Malaysia
- Media, key opinion leaders and aesthetic physicians from across the region were able to experience the Ultherapy Mask - PDRN Peptide Radiance during the Ultherapy PRIME Soirée in Kuala Lumpur
- The at-home hydrogel mask is designed to support hydration, skin recovery, and overall radiance after Ultherapy PRIME treatment, extending the Ultherapy PRIME experience from clinic to daily skin care
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia, July 8, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Merz Aesthetics, the world's largest dedicated medical aesthetics company, introduces its 2026 campaign "See My Skin, Lift My Way", during the Ultherapy PRIME Soirée in Kuala Lumpur. The event also enabled attendees to experience the Ultherapy Mask - PDRN Peptide Radiance, the next chapter of the Ultherapy PRIME experience, first launched in Malaysia, and available exclusively through PRIME certified clinics.
Held in Kuala Lumpur, the Soirée brought together media, key opinion leaders and aesthetic physicians from Malaysia, the Philippines, Indonesia and Vietnam for an immersive journey through the world of Ultherapy PRIME, reflecting the brand's evolving commitment to personalized, authentic aesthetic care across the region.
"At Merz Aesthetics, we believe that every skin journey is deeply personal. Through the introduction of the Ultherapy Mask - PDRN Peptide Radiance and our 2026 campaign 'See My Skin, Lift My Way,' we reaffirm our commitment to empowering individuals with personalized skincare solutions that support their unique needs—extending authentic Ultherapy PRIME care beyond the clinic and into everyday life," said Raymond Ong, Associate Vice President, Regional Commercial APAC, Merz Aesthetics.
A Seamless Extension of the Ultherapy PRIME Experience
The Ultherapy Mask - PDRN Peptide Radiance is a clinically driven, at-home hydrogel mask designed to support hydration, skin recovery and overall radiance[i],[ii] following Ultherapy PRIME treatment.
Combining science-led innovation with a luxurious hydrogel texture, the mask reflects the same commitment to precision, efficacy and patient comfort that defines the Ultherapy PRIME platform. On application, it delivers an immediate cooling and soothing sensation while retaining more serum, ensuring optimal delivery of active ingredients to the skin.[i]
Designed as a dual-use product, the mask is suitable for:
- Post-treatment care: Soothing and hydrating care to complement post-procedure daily skin routine
- Daily skin care rituals: Elevating routine skin care with advanced and high-quality ingredients
The mask is dermatologically tested, non-irritating, fragrance-free, ethyl alcohol-free and paraben-free, making it suitable even for sensitive skin.[i] It represents the next step in an evolving experience that extends authentic Ultherapy PRIME care from the clinic into patients' daily skin care routines.
Unveiling "See My Skin, Lift My Way": A Celebration of Authenticity
At the heart of the 2026 campaign is the belief that beauty is not about following someone else's path — it is about embracing one's own. As aesthetic medicine continues to evolve, patients are seeking more than just visible results; they want personalized experiences, authentic outcomes and treatments that help them look and feel like the best version of themselves.
"See My Skin, Lift My Way" brings this philosophy to life by championing precision, customization and confidence, empowering individuals to care for their skin in their own way, with solutions that are tailored to their unique needs.
An Immersive Experience Through the World of Ultherapy PRIME
During the event, guests were guided through an eight-touchpoint experience designed to bring the campaign to life and showcase the future of skin lifting with Ultherapy PRIME. Personal expressions of what "My Way" meant to each guest were transformed into dynamic video portraits, while installations including the iconic squiggle and a larger-than-life reimagining of the three-piece Ultherapy Mask brought the experience to life.
A dedicated Authenticity Booth invited guests to learn about the importance of choosing genuine Ultherapy treatments and PRIME certified doctors, reinforcing one of the central messages of the evening: that authentic results begin with authentic care and trusted providers.
The Soirée also marked the appointment of acclaimed Malaysian actress, model and television personality Scha Alyahya as Malaysia's first Ultherapy PRIME Brand Ambassador, anchoring the "See My Skin, Lift My Way" campaign locally and embodying its celebration of confident, individual expressions of beauty.
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About Merz Aesthetics
Merz Aesthetics is a medical aesthetics business with a long history of empowering health care professionals, patients and employees to live every day with confidence. We aim to help people around the world look, feel and live like the best versions of themselves — however they define it. Clinically proven, its product portfolio includes injectables, devices and skin care treatments designed to meet each patient's needs with high standards of safety and efficacy. Being family owned for more than 115 years, Merz Aesthetics is known for building unique connections with customers who feel like family. Merz Aesthetics' global headquarters is in Raleigh, N.C., USA, with a commercial presence in 90 countries worldwide. It is also a part of Merz Group, which was founded in 1908 and is based in Frankfurt, Germany. Learn more at merzaesthetics.com.
| [i] Clinical Test Report, Kovas Co., LTD. MERZ AxC Merz Aesthetics Care Range Ultherapy Mask (2025) Korea Dermatology Research Institute. The Korean Association of Human Skin Research Center. Results may vary depending on individuals skin conditions. Clinically tested up to 23 subjects over a 4-day test period [ii] Papakonstantinou, E., Roth, M., & Karakiulakis, G. (2012). Hyaluronic acid: A key molecule in skin aging. Dermato‑Endocrinology, 4(3), 253–258 References and/or supporting data are available upon request |
[i] Clinical Test Report, Kovas Co., LTD. MERZ AxC Merz Aesthetics Care Range Ultherapy Mask (2025) Korea Dermatology Research Institute. The Korean Association of Human Skin Research Center.
Results may vary depending on individuals skin conditions. Clinically tested up to 23 subjects over a 4-day test period
[ii] Papakonstantinou, E., Roth, M., & Karakiulakis, G. (2012). Hyaluronic acid: A key molecule in skin aging. Dermato‑Endocrinology, 4(3), 253–258
References and/or supporting data are available upon request
** This press release is distributed by PR Newswire through automated distribution system, for which the client assumes full responsibility. **
Merz Aesthetics Presents Ultherapy Mask - PDRN Peptide Radiance and Launches its 2026 Campaign at the Ultherapy PRIME Soirée in Malaysia
Merz Aesthetics Presents Ultherapy Mask - PDRN Peptide Radiance and Launches its 2026 Campaign at the Ultherapy PRIME Soirée in Malaysia
