September this year, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology issued the Implementation Plan for the Special Action on “AI + Software”, which aims to build 100 benchmark agent software applications across key industries. As AI agents are integrated into real business workflows, enterprises are confronted with more concrete decisions: which tasks can be delegated to AI, which outcomes merit further investment, and which solutions can be replicated at other sites?
A single demo can verify technical feasibility, yet follow-up investment hinges on whether business benefits can be proven, application risks kept in check, and pilot experience rolled out to more scenarios.
As the core stage of Hongqiao International Tech Week 2026, the AI Main Stage targets enterprise decision-makers, technical and R&D leads and industrial partners. It serves as an exchange platform for AI deployment, joint R&D and industrialisation cooperation.
Speakers including Alvaro GARRIDO, Chief Operating Officer of Standard Chartered Bank; Simon NINAN, Chief Strategy Officer of Hitachi, Ltd.; Dr. Harm-Jan BORGELD, Vice President and Asia Head of Global Partnerships at Roche; Ning Ning, Vice President of International Business & AI Consulting at 01.AI; Lipeng Lai, Co-founder and Chief Innovation Officer of XtalPi; Hongxing Wei, Dean of the Institute of Embodied Intelligence & Robotics, Beihang University and Chairman of Aubo Robotics, will take the stage to share first-hand practices of enterprise adoption and research commercialisation.
Validate Value, Scale Up
Validate Value: Integrate AI into specific business and R&D workflows to identify which links can be improved, what validation is required, and whether outcomes justify further investment or partnerships. Scalable Application: Roll out validated solutions to more business workflows and client sites, addressing governance, infrastructure, stable operation and delivery challenges.
Register to Visit Hongqiao International Tech Week ⏰ 20–22 November 2026 📍 National Exhibition and Convention Center (Shanghai)
Session 1
Governance and Scalable Deployment of Enterprise AI When AI agents participate in business decision-making and execution, AI governance becomes a prerequisite for enterprises to expand adoption. Enterprises need to define the autonomy scope of AI agents based on business risks, while clarifying accountability and oversight mechanisms, so that technical application aligns with the organisation’s risk appetite.
Scalable deployment also represents investment in infrastructure and organisational capabilities. Whether data, models and business systems can work together under a unified governance framework determines whether an application can be rolled out across different business lines. The forum will discuss how enterprises coordinate technical investment, risk governance and talent development, turning experience from individual projects into sustainable organisational capacity.
Session 2
AI-Driven R&D Innovation and Global Collaboration AI expands the scope of exploration for new drug discovery and provides new grounds for R&D resource allocation. From molecular design to drug delivery, scientific questions and validation criteria vary across different stages. Research hypotheses generated by models require experimental verification to support candidate screening and subsequent R&D decisions.
For Chinese innovative pharmaceutical enterprises seeking international collaboration, R&D outputs must withstand independent evaluation by potential partners. Reproducibility of research findings, evidence supporting downstream development, and alignment between the project and the partner’s R&D priorities all shape partnership decisions. From the perspective of AI-powered drug discovery and multinational pharma companies, the forum will explore how technological innovation creates verifiable, assessable value for collaboration.
Session 3
Commercialisation and Scaled Delivery of Embodied Intelligence The industrial promise of embodied intelligence hinges on whether robots can consistently deliver value in real-world operations. When clients consider expanding procurement, they evaluate scenario adaptability, delivery costs and long-term operational returns comprehensively. Whether a robot can secure a “second order” acts as a market signal of sustained demand.
Scaled delivery calls for joint efforts from technology vendors, industry clients and research institutions. Industry clients identify high-value use cases, research institutes advance general technology validation, and vendors build replicable delivery capabilities. The forum will discuss collaboration among these stakeholders and the prerequisites for embodied intelligence to achieve industrialisation.
Co-located Special Session | Align Talent Development with Industrial Demand
On 22 November, Hongqiao International Tech Week will co-host the Hongqiao International Industry-Education Integration Innovation Development Forum with Shanghai Hongqiao International Promotion Center for Industry-Education Integration. The session will introduce the development plan for the Hongqiao International Industry-Education Integration Demonstration Zone, launch the Joint Principal Council mechanism, and establish the Hongqiao International Industry-Education Integration Innovation Development Community. It aims to foster cooperation among governments, universities and enterprises on talent training and research translation.
If you are evaluating enterprise AI investment and deployment, advancing industrial validation of R&D outputs, or searching for partners for joint R&D and scaled delivery, you are warmly invited to the AI Main Stage for on-site exchanges with speakers and peers.
Check the full agenda below for more speakers and session topics.
The countdown to Hongqiao International Tech Week is underway! Visitor registration is now open.
📅 20–22 November 2026 📍 National Exhibition and Convention Center (Shanghai)
Looking forward to meeting you at Hongqiao International Tech Week, as we explore more possibilities for technology to take root in real-world applications.