From Nov 2 to 5, the 2026 World Internet Conference Wuzhen Summit is held in Wuzhen — the 13th time the summit has gathered in this water town in Jiaxing, East China”s Zhejiang province. If the inaugural conference introduced the ancient town to the internet, this year Wuzhen aims to show the world another side of artificial intelligence: it is no longer an exhibit on display — it has already “gone to work”.
Jeremy, a host from the United States, attended the first conference in 2014. Twelve years later he is back: the town that once amazed him with a ride-hailing app is now filled with self-driving vehicles. It is a snapshot of a wider shift: humanoid robots moving from laboratory prototypes to factory products, with China’s shipments expected to reach 62,500 units in 2026. In Wuzhen, that shift is on show: at the “Light of the Internet” Expo and the AI Carnival, embodied-AI robots are on duty in real settings such as factories, hotels, hospitals and homes.
Walking through town, Jeremy finds AI woven into daily life. In the 5G smart greenhouse of Zhengfu village, tomato farmers watch data, not the sky. On the streets, self-driving vehicles slow for children at play — braking, stopping, steering around them, and robot guide dogs lead visually impaired pedestrians across zebra crossings.
In zero-carbon factories and at the 110 kV Chenzhuang substation, robot dogs take on the repetitive, hazardous jobs. In an elderly care center, one rests its head gently by an elderly resident’s hand, making no sound, simply keeping them company.
Will AI replace us? Or will it open a wider world? The judgment is left to every observer.
The video is provided by Jiaxing International Communication Center