Shanghai released its first batch of six quantum city government AI agents for urban governance at the Quantum City Spatial Intelligence Forum of the 2026 World AI Conference (WAIC) and High-Level Meeting on Global AI Governance.
At the two-day forum which concluded on Saturday, a flood control AI agent drew particular attention. The agent is currently in its debugging phase.
The agent has built a high-precision digital twin model covering a 21-kilometer section of the Suzhou River in the city's central area. Through AI-based intelligent computation, it can provide graded rainfall forecasts from two to 48 hours in advance to support flood control decision-making.
"We have modeled the surface sponge facilities, the underground municipal drainage pipe networks, and the rainwater wells you see on the roads. Only with such a high-precision foundation can we use it as a reference for real-world operational decision-making in flood control when rainfall occurs," said Zhou Xiang, project leader for the flood control AI agent.
The forum also saw the debut of an AI agent that integrates six major categories and 21 high-frequency public services.
"For residents, they can quickly find the facilities they need, for example, which facilities offer childcare rooms, which house community canteens. The agent covers functions related to clothing, food, housing, and transportation," said Huang Yao, project leader of AI agent.
The other four agents focus respectively on rural spaces, urban strategy, planning approval, and planning resource enforcement, aiming to improve urban governance, rural landscape protection, and enforcement efficiency through large-scale AI models.
Shanghai launches first batch of quantum city government AI agents at World AI Conference
Shanghai launches first batch of quantum city government AI agents at World 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
