Lai Ka-ying, Hong Kong's first astronaut in orbit, highlighted women's empowerment in her congratulatory message sent from China's space station Tiangong to the AI Women's Forum at the 2026 World Artificial Intelligence Conference (WAIC).
Themed "AI Leap; Her Momentum", the AI Women's Forum was held Friday in Shanghai, on the sideline of the 2026 World Artificial Intelligence Conference and the High-level Meeting on Global Governance of Artificial Intelligence.
Through the forms of keynote speeches, fruit releases, competitions, and discussions, the forum explored cutting-edge topics such as the evolution of AI, women's innovation and creativity, talent cultivation, and global governance.
As the forum opened, Shenzhou-23 astronaut and payload expert Lai sent greetings from space, congratulating the forum on its successful opening and encouraging female sci-tech workers to seize the opportunities presented by AI development and pursue their dreams.
"Hello everyone, I'm Lai Ka-ying. We chase our dreams though spaceflight, while AI is ushering in a new era. The world is made more vibrant by science and technology, a field where women have never been absent. Here from China's space station, I extend my congratulations on the successful convening of the AI Women Forum of the World Artificial Intelligence Conference," she said.
China successfully launched the Shenzhou-23 crewed spacecraft on May 24, sending three astronauts into orbit.
The crew members are mission commander Zhu Yangzhu, Zhang Zhiyuan, and Lai, who made history as the first astronaut from China's Hong Kong Special Administrative Region to travel to space.
Hong Kong's first astronaut highlights women's empowerment at AI conference
Business leaders, researchers and entrepreneurs from around the world gathered at the 2026 World Artificial Intelligence Conference (WAIC), where discussions are focusing on turning AI innovation into cross-border partnerships and real-world applications.
The 2026 WAIC is running in Shanghai from Friday to Monday under the theme "AI Partnership for a Brighter Future."
Across the exhibition halls, conversations often extended beyond product demonstrations, with visitors exploring potential partnerships, supply chains and overseas expansion.
Among them was Paolo Brizzi, chief information officer of Italy's Competence Center for Industry and Manufacturing (CIM), who met with a Chinese AI company to discuss cooperation ranging from industrial applications to entering the European market.
"My point is not to be a customer or a provider of technologies, but to identify parts [where we can] actually collaborate and work together," he said.
The four-day conference has also created opportunities for startups to connect with investors, researchers and potential customers. One startup launched an online networking group on the opening day, attracting hundreds of participants who exchanged ideas, explored business opportunities and sought technical solutions.
Participants said AI innovation depends not only on technological breakthroughs but also on cooperation across industries and countries.
"Collaboration is important because alone you cannot do so much. It needs to be a team support ecosystem," said Florian Wohlrab, CEO of Canada-based OpenHW Foundation.
For many international visitors, the conference is also an opportunity to explore how AI can help address practical challenges. Omar Khan, a participant from Pakistan, said international cooperation is essential to ensuring AI benefits everyone.
"I think, for me, we are all the one. We're human and I think we can cooperate a lot," he said.
Some attendees were looking for solutions to challenges in their home countries. A visitor from Kenya said AI applications such as weather forecast and soil analysis could help improve agricultural productivity across many parts of Africa, where farming remains a cornerstone of the economy.
As countries race to advance AI technologies, participants at this year's WAIC said the conference has become a platform for connecting ideas, technology and demand across borders, helping turn AI innovation into practical international cooperation.
World AI Conference highlights growing demand for global AI partnership
