Chongqing isn’t just showing off new gadgets this week—it’s pitching itself as a global hub for AI-driven industry. The 2025 World Smart Industry Expo, which opened September 5, drew more than 550 companies and 3,000-plus innovations ranging from autonomous cars and robotic cafés to XR-powered cinema. The common thread? AI as the engine reshaping how we work, live, and manufacture.
“AI+” Takes the Stage
This year’s theme, “AI+,” put intelligent connected new energy vehicles (NEVs) front and center. Alongside that came demos of AI for city governance, robotics, and what’s being called the low-altitude economy—a polite way of saying drones are finally getting serious roles in logistics and services. Singapore held the role of Guest Country of Honor, while Sichuan Province was spotlighted as the Guest Province of Honor, underscoring the expo’s growing international pull.
Nine keynote speakers hammered home one idea: AI is no longer just about smarter algorithms; it’s about reshaping physical systems. Harry Shum Heung-Yeung, chairman at Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, predicted the rise of embodied intelligence—robots that don’t just compute but adapt, collaborate, and learn in messy real-world conditions. Siemens board member Cedrik Neike emphasized how software-defined automation will turn industrial production into a more flexible, efficient, and sustainable process.
Billions on the Table
For all the big talk, the money is real. The expo secured over 200 billion yuan ($27.5 billion USD) in contracts, with more than 120 billion yuan signed on-site. The deals span AI, digital transformation, and financing, with heavy hitters like Huawei, Baidu, and 40 investment institutions in the mix.
Among the standout projects: Geely’s smart manufacturing initiative, which ties directly into Chongqing’s “33618” advanced manufacturing cluster strategy. The initiative aims to boost sectors from NEVs and electronics to food processing and biomedicine—part of the city’s bid to position itself as a nationally significant advanced manufacturing center.
NEVs in the Fast Lane
The NEV pavilion was a magnet, pulling in 20 global automakers including Tesla, Changan, and Seres, alongside more than 100 suppliers. Smart driving systems, software-defined vehicles, and intelligent manufacturing were front and center, as China ramps up its EV push to outpace global rivals.
Changan used the expo to unveil its “SDA Intelligence” brand, while other launches included the Chongqing Low-Altitude Smart Management Service Platform, Sugon’s AI Supercluster system, and a national showcase for the China NEV Challenge.
From Regional Fair to Global Stage
First held in 2018 as the Smart China Expo, the rechristened World Smart Industry Expo has evolved into a heavyweight event that combines trade fair, ideas summit, and matchmaking hub. The formula works: mix policymakers, academics, investors, and industry giants, and suddenly Chongqing isn’t just a venue—it’s part of the story.
With AI in everything from cars to city management, and billions in contracts inked, the expo illustrates a broader trend: China’s determination to fuse digital and industrial economies at scale. Whether this model will export as well as it innovates is an open question—but Chongqing’s ambitions are now firmly on the global map.
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