Wang Jian: Cities Are the Most Important Application Carriers for AI

At the 2026 Bund Summit, Wang Jian, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and founder of Shanghai Haina Institute of Engineering, delivered a keynote speech titled "Thinking about AI the Way Young People Do." He challenged the industry to look beyond large model parameters and computing power, asking whether future cities could support a better life for humanity using only 10% of today's resource consumption.

Wang argued that AI's value should not be limited to terminal tools; cities themselves are the most important application carriers for AI. He also described data as a natural resource of the digital age, with AI serving as the key to unlocking it and addressing global urban sustainability challenges.

His views align with the core themes of the UN-Habitat flagship report "AI and Cities," which was compiled by the Shanghai Haina Institute of Engineering and developed in Haina Town, Putuo District, Shanghai. The institute had previously led international collaborations and regional data initiatives, and a Putuo smart transportation case was included in the report.

The institute plans to release related cooperation initiatives at World Cities Day on October 30, 2026, to promote China's "AI + city" practices globally.