From chips to agents: A glimpse into China's AI ecosystem at WAIC 2026

As the industry moves from large language models to real-world deployment, the conversation at the World Artificial Intelligence Conference (WAIC) in Shanghai has turned to what lies beneath: computing infrastructure, operating systems and security.

CGTN spoke with the representatives from three companies across the AI stack, who offer a glimpse of China's AI ecosystem in the making.

Hygon Information Technology builds the computing foundation. Its Sugon 8000 all‑domestic AI supercluster, unveiled at the conference, combines the company's general‑purpose CPU with its DCU accelerator. 

"China's intelligent computing industry has reached a turning point – moving from 'usable' to becoming scalable," said Zeng Chao, vice president of Hygon. 

STEPX is redefining how agents run. The company's STEPX Neo, the first large‑model‑native agentic phone, runs on Step AOS – an operating system rebuilt from the ground up for AI agents. 

"The Agent era is one of human‑machine symbiosis," said a technical expert at STEPX who preferred to be named Michael. "In the past, people operated devices. Now, people express intent, and agents complete complex tasks." 

STEPX has partnered with Meituan, Alipay and Didi, using A2A protocols to deliver its agent services. 

Fisherman Info focuses on the security layer. 

"AI agents operate across applications and devices, which demands system‑level guarantees for data sovereignty, privacy and traceability," said Guo Jingyu, CEO of Fisherman Info. 

The company provides full‑lifecycle data protection and compliance solutions, ensuring that every layer from chips to applications is auditable and controllable.