On the morning of November 19, the 2024 “Light of the Internet” Expo, jointly hosted by the World Internet Conference and the Zhejiang Provincial Government, opened in Wuzhen, Zhejiang. This year’s Expo provided a comprehensive and ecological showcase of artificial intelligence (AI), blending “offline reality with online virtual exhibitions” to present the core technologies and application achievements in the AI field across the entire industry chain, focusing on core elements and hot applications of AI. Over 40 large models and vertical models, as well as more than 10 embodied robots, were collectively unveiled.
Scene from the “Light of the Internet” Expo. Photo by Yang Jiayin, The Paper
This Expo marks the new starting point of the second decade of the “Light of the Internet” Expo. Centered around the Wuzhen Summit theme of “Embracing a People-Centered, AI-for-Good Digital Future – Working Together to Build a Community with a Shared Future in Cyberspace,” it featured five major activity sections: exhibition displays, new product and technology launches, industrial talent attraction, industrial cooperation matching, and the “New Light” series promotions. It comprehensively exhibited the latest developments in global internet and new technologies and products in the AI field, attracting 665 domestic and foreign enterprises and institutions from 53 countries and regions.
The Expo placed greater emphasis on AI, with over 360 enterprises showcasing cutting-edge AI technologies and the latest application achievements in AI algorithm models, data computing power, scenario applications, as well as themed exhibition areas such as low-altitude economy, intelligent connected vehicles, digital villages, and cybersecurity. It was truly a gathering of “black technologies.”
Among them, Huawei highlighted its two root ecosystems: “HarmonyOS/openEuler software” and “Kunpeng/Ascend hardware.” Alibaba demonstrated its Tongyi large model and the application of its Zebra Yuan Shen model in various industries. Ant Group’s self-developed AI technology, “Cognitive Decision-Making Agent Technological Innovation and Application,” made its debut. In the Tencent exhibition area, visitors could interact in real-time with Tencent’s self-developed, practical-grade large model Hunyuan, and AI assistants “Tencent Yuanbao” and “Tencent Yuanqi.” High-level innovation platforms such as the Zhijiang Lab and Tianmushan Lab showcased space computing systems and autonomous drone agents. Embodied robots from Youlu Robotics and UAI Tech also appeared at the Expo. Forty-six overseas enterprises and institutions from countries and regions such as Russia, France, Germany, the UK, and Singapore exhibited in the “See the World, Smart Technology” international enterprise exhibition area.
Scene from the “Light of the Internet” Expo. Photo by Yang Jiayin, The Paper
Notably, China’s first 3A single-player action role-playing game, “Black Myth: Wukong,” was also present at the Expo. The exhibition area featured a rich gaming experience, showcasing the “Black Myth: Wukong” IP through exquisite figurines, gorgeous concept art, imaginative animated shorts, and captivating musical performances. Additionally, the exhibition area specially set up an “interactive challenge section” where participants could become brave Westward Journey adventurers. Those who successfully completed the challenges had the opportunity to receive rewards.
This Expo further emphasized “scenario-oriented” displays, featuring themed exhibition areas for hot applications, digital villages, intelligent vision, smart transportation, and low-altitude economy, while focusing on the latest application achievements of cutting-edge technologies such as AI in empowering economic and social development. The Wuzhen Internet International Convention and Exhibition Center (Hall B) highlighted two new AI cross-industry integration industries: low-altitude economy and intelligent connected vehicles, as well as the latest achievements in digital villages and cybersecurity.
Meanwhile, this Expo also placed greater emphasis on the experience, creating an “AI Creative Art Realm” experience area through exhibits such as AI holographic pods, AI painting, AI entertainment, and AI-printed canvas bags. It enhanced exhibition participation, interaction, and fun through diverse forms such as “seeing, hearing, appreciating, and playing,” allowing visitors to experience AI’s “future is now.” To enhance the visitor experience, the Expo also introduced five special exhibition routes for the first time: digital intelligence industry insights, a technology exploration journey, a search for “top ten highlights” AI fun roaming, and a future life experience, all equipped with guides to meet the personalized exhibition needs of different visitor groups.
Furthermore, the Expo concurrently hosted over 100 new product and technology launches, five themed activities for industrial cooperation matching, and on-site job postings for over 500 positions from 50 enterprises and institutions in the digital economy field. It also recommended 20 “New Light” products and 10 “New Glow” scenarios, promoting multi-level and multi-angle cooperation and matching in products, projects, talents, and capital, unleashing the Expo’s spillover effects, and creating the best stage for showcasing cutting-edge technological achievements in the global internet.