The 2026 World AI Conference (WAIC) and the High-Level Meeting on Global AI Governance were held in Shanghai from July 17 to 20.
The Forum on the Frontier and Application of Autonomous Intelligent Unmanned Systems, an important component of WAIC 2026, was hosted on July 17 by the State Key Laboratory of Autonomous Intelligent Unmanned Systems and the Shanghai Research Institute for Intelligent Autonomous Systems. It was co-organized by Harbin Institute of Technology (HIT), Tongji University, and Beijing Institute of Technology, all under the guidance of the WAIC Organizing Committee.
Chen Jie, director of the State Key Laboratory of Autonomous Intelligent Unmanned Systems, director of the Shanghai Research Institute for Intelligent Autonomous Systems, and an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering (CAE); Zheng Qinghua, Party secretary of Tongji University and a CAE academician; and Han Jiecai, president of HIT and a CAE academician, attended and delivered speeches.
Gu Xianglin, former vice-president of Tongji University and executive deputy director of the Shanghai research institute, presided over the forum.
The forum takes place in Shanghai on July 17. [Photo/hit.edu.cn]
Chen stated that frontier research and applications of autonomous intelligent unmanned systems would further drive technological innovation, industrial implementation, and talent cultivation in AI. He also believes the forum will promote the deep integration of innovation and industrial chains, creating a high-end exchange platform that combines academic excellence with industrial value.
Chen Jie delivers a speech. [Photo/hit.edu.cn]
Zheng noted that Tongji University promotes the transformation of disciplines towards digitization, greenization, and integration of its disciplines in recent years, achieving progress. The Shanghai research institute promotes the interdisciplinary integration of AI with other fields, exploring new theories and technologies through scenario-based innovation, and has produced frequent achievements in frontier research, talent cultivation, team building, and platform construction. Zheng also expressed hope to deepen cooperation with partner universities, research institutes, and industry-leading enterprises.
Zheng Qinghua delivers a speech. [Photo/hit.edu.cn]
Han stated that HIT has focused on interdisciplinary integration and AI empowerment, promoting AI technology to unleash tremendous momentum, forming its own distinctive characteristics. He looked forward to using this forum as a bond to deepen cooperation with partner universities and industry colleagues, contributing the wisdom and strength of Chinese universities in the journey toward becoming a world leader in science and technology.
Han Jiecai delivers a speech. [Photo/hit.edu.cn]
Academicians Huang Dianzhong and Zhang Hongke delivered keynote speeches at the meeting, engaging in high-level dialogues on "industrial intelligent agents" and "autonomous intelligent agents". Professor Liu Shuyan of Tongji University and Professor Sun Jian of Beijing Institute of Technology delivered successive keynote reports, while participants discussed underlying intelligent theories, deep-space and polar field applications, new-generation information infrastructure, and collaborative risk management and AI control.
Experts deliver keynote speeches. [Photo/hit.edu.cn]
The high-level dialogue on "industrial intelligent agents" and "autonomous intelligent agents". [Photo/hit.edu.cn]
This forum, with intelligent agents as its core theme, gathered top academicians and experts, as well as representatives from research institutes and industry-leading enterprises, to discuss frontier trends and the future development of intelligent technology.
Students from the HIT Autonomous Intelligent Systems Class of 2025 conducted study and research activities before attending the forum, visiting multiple aerospace institutes to explore the front lines of aerospace intelligent equipment R&D. They also visited the Shanghai Research Institute for Autonomous Intelligent Unmanned Systems to observe national-level frontier scientific research platforms up close.
HIT faculty and students attend the forum. [Photo/hit.edu.cn]
HIT faculty and students conduct field study and research. [Photo/hit.edu.cn]
HIT faculty and students interact with academicians and experts. [Photo/hit.edu.cn]
Editor: Yang Wenyu