The 2026 Asia-Pacific Artificial Intelligence Conference, hailed as the highest-profile and most internationalized AI event in Northeast Asia, will be held in Changchun from September 17 to 19, with only a few days to go before its opening. The event will bring together more than 20 academicians and top experts from China and abroad, over 200 leading AI technology companies in the Asia-Pacific region, over 100 universities and research institutes, and more than 20 financial institutions. Why was this premier AI conference ultimately hosted by Changchun, the "Spring City" of northeast China? "It is no coincidence, but the result of the opportune time, geographic advantage, and popular support," said Zha Hongtao, executive dean of the Asia-Pacific Artificial Intelligence Association (International Academy of Artificial Intelligence Sciences) Northeast Research Institute, in response to the above question.

A Strategic Choice of Changchun as Host

The 2026 Asia-Pacific Artificial Intelligence Conference, hosted by the Asia-Pacific Artificial Intelligence Association (International Academy of Artificial Intelligence Sciences), will run for 3 days under the theme "Intelligent Connectivity, Co-existence · Jointly Exploring New Opportunities." During the conference, 1 high-level main forum and over 20 parallel sub-forums will be held, and a 5,000-square-meter exhibition area themed "Intelligent Connectivity, Co-existence" will be set up at Jilin University Zhengyuan Information Technologies Co., Ltd. and remain open to the public throughout the event.

As for the reason why Changchun was chosen to host this top AI conference in Northeast Asia, Zha Hongtao stated, "The Asia-Pacific Artificial Intelligence Association (International Academy of Artificial Intelligence Sciences) has its own reasons." The CPC Central Committee attaches great importance to AI development and is advancing the implementation of the "AI Plus" initiative. As a major hub of science and education in Northeast Asia, Changchun is well placed to align with national strategies and secure a leading position in the new AI track at an opportune time.

Zha noted that Changchun is endowed with unique advantages. The city is home to top-tier enterprises in intelligent manufacturing and the optoelectronic information industry, such as China FAW Group and Chang Guang Satellite Technology Co., Ltd. It also has a solid base of research talents built by the Changchun Institute of Optics, Fine Mechanics and Physics and the Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, together with Jilin University. According to the Nature Index 2025 Science Cities list, Changchun ranks 24th globally and the first in northeast China.

Zha Hongtao said, "Changchun has everything AI development requires, from application scenarios and computing power to talent and industry." He added that the city is now using AI as a key lever in its transformation and upgrading, and that a strong citywide momentum has emerged around advancing AI and empowering industrial upgrading. All of these are important reasons why the Asia-Pacific Artificial Intelligence Association (International Academy of Artificial Intelligence Sciences) ultimately chose to hold the conference in Changchun.

A Group of Heavyweight Guests in Full Force

The biggest highlight of this conference lies in its distinguished panel of academicians and fellows from multiple countries.

The conference has invited more than 20 academicians and fellows, including academicians of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Chinese Academy of Engineering, and fellows of the Academy of Science of the Royal Society of Canada, the Canadian Academy of Engineering, the US National Academy of Engineering, the Academy of Engineering Singapore, the Academy of Europe (Academia Europaea), and the International Academy of Artificial Intelligence Sciences. Zha stated that during the conference, many academicians, fellows and top experts will share cutting-edge achievements in AI on site.

The lineup of industry experts is also star-studded. The heads of flagship enterprises in the field of AI, such as Zhipu AI, GigaAI, Xingyun Tech, China Equity Links Partners, and Jilin University Zhengyuan Information Technologies Co., Ltd., will also attend and deliver keynote speeches at the main forum. Executives from over 200 industry-leading enterprises, including Baidu AI Cloud, ByteDance's Volcengine, and Kingsoft Office, will visit Changchun for business matchmaking. From academicians and experts to the heads of leading enterprises, participants will engage in in-depth exchanges centering on topics such as artificial intelligence empowering the revitalization of old industrial bases, the commercialization of research achievements, and the implementation of major projects.

"In designing the agenda items, we followed the principle of 'aiming high while staying grounded.' 'Aiming high' means keeping a close watch on the forefront of global AI, while 'staying grounded' means ensuring that AI truly reaches Changchun's industries, farmlands, campuses, and city streets," said Zhang Xu, a researcher at the Asia-Pacific Artificial Intelligence Association (International Academy of Artificial Intelligence Sciences) Northeast Research Institute. Throughout the three-day event, more than 20 parallel sub-forums will cover over 15 "AI Plus" directions.

On the hardcore technology front, the AI Plus Large Models Forum will explore the technologies of frontier AI models. The AI Plus Aerospace Information Forum, supported by the "Jilin-1" remote sensing satellite constellation, will demonstrate Changchun's hardcore strengths in China's aerospace sector. The AI Plus Embodied Intelligence Forum will focus on real-world industrial applications, highlighting benchmark cases such as local lights-out production lines and the domestic substitution of imported equipment. And the AI Plus Optoelectronic Information Forum will align with the building of China's Optoelectronics City.

In terms of industrial application, the AI Plus Smart Agriculture Forum will concentrate on unmanned operations in the black soil granary, contributing to food security considered as "the top priority of the country". The AI Plus Corporate Empowerment Forum and the AI Plus Electric Power and Energy Forum will address the transformation needs of the real economy.

In ecosystem and governance, the AI Safety and Governance Forum will consolidate the institutional foundation for the sound development of AI, embodying the imperative to coordinate development and security. The AI Plus Investment and Financing Forum will convene over 20 financial institutions to deal with the "last mile" problem in technology commercialization. The AI Plus International Cooperation Forum will spotlight the achievements made by Changchun enterprises through overseas mergers and acquisitions, and cross-border R&D.

Regarding education, the AI-Empowered Basic Education Forum will focus on cultivating AI literacy from an early age. The conference will introduce the "AI-Empowered Higher Education and New Model for Human Civilization Forum" for the first time, elevating the discussion of AI from the technological and industrial dimensions to civilizational evolution.

A Conference Built for Tangible Outcomes​

"We will not host an event that draws crowds for three days and then leaves nothing behind, but one that delivers results, secures projects, and builds mechanisms," said Zhang Xu. He noted that the conference will bring together more than 20 academicians, fellows and leading experts to offer valuable insights and recommendations on cutting-edge AI theories and global industrial governance, providing academic guidance for Changchun’s industrial decision-making. The conference will arrange sessions including government-enterprise dialogue, investment & financing matchmaking conference, and centralized signing of industrial projects. More than 30 key enterprises, covering fields such as large models, intelligent computing chips, cybersecurity, embodied intelligence, smart healthcare, and new energy, are set to take part in city promotion and business matchmaking. Through these efforts, the conference aims to promote the establishment of regional headquarters, R&D centers, and industrialization projects in Changchun, ensuring that signed projects can yield instant results. In addition, by supporting academician teams in setting up work stations, joint R&D platforms, and industry-university-research bases in Changchun, the conference seeks to transform "one-off participation" into "long-term cooperation."

Zhang noted that the conference's organizing committee will ultimately evaluate the conference outcomes by whether experts are brought in and projects are implemented. By hosting the conference, Changchun will secure a new position in the AI sector and become more deeply integrated into the Asia-Pacific AI innovation and collaboration network; highlight Changchun's calling card as China's Optoelectronics City; activate new growth drivers to bring technology, capital, projects, and talent to Changchun; inject new connotations, marked by the first-ever "AI and New Form for Human Civilization Forum," promoting technological and cultural development to resonate with each other, so that Changchun's revitalization will be underpinned not only by technological strength but also by cultural confidence.

Source: WeChat Account of Changchun Daily  Editor: Liu Jiadi