The South China Morning Post and Bloomberg report that President Xi Jinping will deliver the opening keynote at the 2026 World Artificial Intelligence Conference in Shanghai, running July 17-20. It's his first in-person appearance since the event began in 2018, a signal of how central Beijing now views AI to economic growth and global rule-setting. Organizers say this year's edition features more than 140 forums, 1,400 guests and 1,100 exhibitors, with over 300 products debuting. Analysts expect Xi to use the address to push a proposed World AI Cooperation Organization, an international governance body China wants headquartered in Shanghai, as it courts Global South countries to counter US influence. The summit lands as export controls and a model price war intensify competition between the two AI superpowers.