On the afternoon of July 8, 2026, the semifinals of the 2026 China "AI+" Innovation and Entrepreneurship Challenge, hosted by the Chinese Association for Artificial Intelligence (CAAI), were held with great fanfare at Yizhigu in the Beijing Economic and Technological Development Zone. After rigorous selection in the preliminary rounds, 60 outstanding AI innovation projects gathered here to present their pitches and defend their proposals across three major tracks-AI+ Smart Manufacturing, AI+ Healthcare, and AI+ New Energy-in a bid to secure a spot in the finals. This semifinal round marks a critical stage in this national-level AI innovation and entrepreneurship competition, bringing together innovative forces from more than 20 provinces, autonomous regions, and municipalities across the country to compete, exchange ideas, and spark collaboration in Beijing, the city of technology.

Roadshows Across Three Tracks: AI Innovators Make a Final Push Toward the Finals 337 Projects Compete; Top 60 Emerge The 2026 China "AI+" Innovation and Entrepreneurship Challenge, themed "Intelligence Converges in Longcheng, AI in Changzhou," has attracted 337 project entries since its launch in April 2026. These entries span more than 20 provinces, autonomous regions, and municipalities across the country. Among the project leaders, 68% hold master's degrees or higher, fully demonstrating the competition's nationwide appeal and the high quality of the projects.

Semifinals Kickoff Ceremony: Bringing Together Multiple Stakeholders to Discuss the Future of AI At the semi-finals kickoff ceremony, leaders from the organizing and hosting entities-including the Chinese Association for Artificial Intelligence (CAAI), Changzhou Industrial Investment Group Co., Ltd., and the CAAI Product and Industry Working Committee-joined expert judges from universities, enterprises, and investment institutions such as Tsinghua University, SenseTime Healthcare, CATL Puquan Capital, iFlytek Research Institute, and Meihua Venture Capital, along with contestants and guests, to come together and witness this important moment.

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