AI is set to take center stage at the fifth Global Digital Trade Expo, which will be held from Sept 23 to 27 at the Hangzhou Grand Convention and Exhibition Center in Zhejiang province.

The expo is preparing to bring together nearly 500 AI companies, including Apple, Amazon, Google, ByteDance, and ZTE, as well as research institutions such as Zhijiang Lab, Damo Academy, Zhejiang University, and Westlake University, with a dedicated AI Future exhibition area showcasing advances in computing infrastructure, AI models, industry applications, and intelligent hardware.

The event will feature 12 thematic activities, 14 industry events, six investment and trade promotion activities, and 23 competitions and showcases. Eight countries, including Malaysia, Hungary, and Switzerland, will organize exhibition groups, while 29 international organizations, including World Data Organization and World Intellectual Property Organization, are expected to participate.

The expo has already attracted nearly 10,000 international buyers, up nearly 50 percent year on year, with preliminary international purchase orders exceeding $940 million, up 47 percent. AI-related orders account for 53 percent of the total, while demand for AI applications, data centers, and intelligent terminals has each risen by more than 50 percent.

The expo will also host global investment matchmaking and venture capital activities, along with three "100" initiatives covering 100 AI application scenarios, 100 Zhejiang products, and 100 consumer experience sites. These are poised to link the expo with tourism and consumption during the Mid-Autumn Festival and National Day holidays.

International competitions, including the World AI Open Source Competition, embodied intelligence challenge, and global brain-computer interface innovation competition, are expected to attract more than 3,000 teams.