At the World Intelligence Expo 2026 in the northern Chinese city of Tianjin, a smart mirror could instantly display a picture of a person's health, a robotic arm deftly prepared delicious Chinese crepes, while a robot played Go and told stories to children, demonstrating that technology once only the stuff of science fiction is now increasingly becoming a part of everyday life in China.
The four-day exhibition, which concluded on Sunday (May 31st), was attended by more than 700 exhibitors. It showcased cutting-edge technologies, products, and various application scenarios in the field of artificial intelligence (AI).
Industry players present at the exhibition venue noted that AI is accelerating its integration into education, public services, manufacturing, and daily life, improving the efficiency of traditional industries while creating new business models and economic growth opportunities.
At the booth of iFLYTEK Co., Ltd., a leading Chinese AI company specializing in intelligent speech recognition and AI technology, a smart whiteboard called the iFLYTEK AI Board attracted widespread attention.
By combining a traditional whiteboard with an electronic screen, the device digitizes handwritten equations as they are written, transforming abstract mathematical concepts into clear visual representations.
Similar AI-based applications are already making their way into classrooms.
In a physical education lesson at Tianjin Xinhua Second High School, students performed squats, jumps, and landings following instructions from an electronic guide. Their jump distances are announced directly via a voice system and uploaded in real time to teachers' devices, allowing for immediate analysis of students' physical performance and fitness indicators.
"AI is transforming education in unprecedented ways," said Dong Bin, deputy general manager of the brand marketing center at iFLYTEK.
"This technology frees teachers from repetitive tasks so they can focus more on educational research, while helping students spend less time on excessive practice and more time on meaningful self-development," he added.
According to the company, iFLYTEK provides smart education products and solutions to more than 50,000 schools across China, benefiting more than 130 million teachers and students.
In the embodied intelligence zone at the expo, various robots demonstrated their capabilities in real-life scenarios, from cooking and giving massages to refueling vehicles and performing musical performances.
One of the highlights is the Aimoga Smart Police Robot, a wheeled traffic police robot that moves its arms with the precision of a seasoned officer as it demonstrates its ability to manage traffic flow in real-world conditions.
The robot has been deployed in several Chinese cities, including Hefei, Wuhu, and Changzhou, as an intelligent assistant for traffic police officers.
"Equipped with lidar and 360-degree cameras, the robot is capable of autonomous navigation, environmental perception, and human-machine interaction," said Chen Gaoyuan, a staff member at AiMOGA Robotics Technology Co., Ltd.
"It can assist with traffic control and highway patrols, and help prevent traffic violations, while also taking over repetitive and labor-intensive tasks during major events and peak holiday traffic periods," Chen added.
By focusing on the development and commercial application of tangible intelligent robots, the company is accelerating the transition of robotics from technology demonstrations to real-world applications.
Its humanoid robots, traffic police robots, and medical service robots have been exported to more than 50 countries and regions, and are used in automotive dealerships, exhibition halls, public service facilities, hospitals, and traffic management sectors.
Similar popularity was evident at the nearby PaXini Technology booth. The company, which focuses on multidimensional touch sensor technology and humanoid robot development, has widely applied its products in precision manufacturing, automotive production lines, and medical rehabilitation.
The TORA series of humanoid robots are capable of performing a variety of tasks, including preparing and delivering meals, making coffee, cleaning tables, doing housework, and other service functions, said Lin Tong, a senior executive at PaXini Technology (Tianjin) Co., Ltd.
Lin added that the company has established partnerships with leading international companies, with its products and solutions now serving markets in North America, Europe, and the Asia-Pacific region.
