On April 16. 2026. JXQ AI Forum 2026. hosted by Beijing Electronic Digital & Intelligence (BEDI), concluded in Beijing. Under the theme “Empowering Today, Inspiring Tomorrow,” the forum explored practical pathways to drive industry development within the context of the opening stage of the 15th Five-Year Plan period and China’s national AI strategy. During the event, BEDI launched Spark•AI Cloud 2.0. released the “China Urban Artificial Intelligence Index Report”, introduced the “AI China Tour” initiative, and announced the establishment of the Collaborative Industry Alliance for AI Innovation Districts. Together, these initiatives outline new paradigms for industry-city integration in the upcoming 15th Five-Year Plan period.
The forum’s agenda featured 14 thematic sessions across four key areas: “AI Infrastructure”, “New Economy”, “Industrial Development”, and “Emerging Trends”, covering more than 100 topics, including computing infrastructure, trusted data, smart cities, industrial applications, talent ecosystems, and investment and financing. It brought together representatives from government, industry, academia, research, and application sectors, including academicians from the CAE and the SAEng, as well as experts and scholars from institutions such as the MIIT, the SASAC, the National Health Commission, Tsinghua University, and the CAS. Officials from the Beijing municipal government and Chaoyang District authorities, along with government representatives from multiple regions, also participated. International guests from Kazakhstan, Indonesia, Thailand, and the United Kingdom were in attendance. The three-day forum attracted over 2.200 attendees and over 7.2 million online views.
“China Urban Artificial Intelligence Index Report” Unveiled, Establishing a New Benchmark for Industry-City Development.
As AI applications continue to expand across economic and social sectors, China’s urban AI development has shifted from a phase led by top-tier cities to a new cycle characterized by both tiered expansion and structural transformation. Given the significant differences among cities in terms of resource endowments, industrial foundations, and governance capabilities, there is an urgent need to establish a scientific evaluation system for targeted guidance.
Against this backdrop, “China Urban Artificial Intelligence Index Report” was officially released at the forum. The report was jointly developed by the Institute for Contemporary China Studies, Tsinghua University (ICCS), Shanghai Securities News, Outlook Think Tank, and the BEDI Research Institute, with contributions from expert teams including the University of Science and Technology of China (USTC) and the CICC Global Institute.
The report introduces an urban AI evaluation system covering four key dimensions: industrial development, technological innovation, public services, and governance environment. It also systematically identifies, for the first time, a three-tier structure of urban AI development in China, categorizing cities into three distinct tiers: Leading Cities, Dynamic Cities, and High-Potential Cities. Furthermore, the report draws on practical experience from benchmark cities, providing clear and actionable development approaches tailored to different city types. It is designed to support local governments in refining industrial development strategies, help enterprises seize market opportunities, and contribute to national efforts to improve regional coordination.
Spark•AI Cloud Upgraded to 2.0. Forming a New Foundation for China’s Urban Development
Based on the regional differences and collaboration needs highlighted in the report, BEDI emphasizes that the key to AI development lies not in isolated technological breakthroughs, but in building scalable infrastructure and enabling coordinated industrial ecosystems. Xie Dong, Chief Technology Officer of BEDI, commented: “The transition to large-scale AI adoption is defined by lower barriers to use. Enterprises will be able to deploy and apply AI at lower costs and in simpler ways, so that data can be continuously transformed into real productivity.”
In line with this vision, BEDI unveiled Spark•AI Cloud 2.0. its next-generation AI production system, marking the evolution from a computing platform to an integrated AI production environment. At its core, Spark•AI Cloud 2.0 is powered by Qianjin•AIOS and Xintian•AgentOS. It brings together computing, models, and application capabilities into a unified architecture, streamlining the entire process from data and compute to model development and application deployment, and delivering standardized capabilities tailored to real-world business scenarios. The platform is designed to address three common challenges in AI adoption: complex deployment, high costs, and limited scalability. By overcoming these barriers, it enables organizations to move beyond pilot projects and scale AI into real-world production.
At the application level, BEDI proposes a development path of “One Foundation, Two Breakthroughs”: on one hand, it supports industries such as manufacturing, cultural tourism, and consumer sectors in developing new growth models; on the other hand, it enhances governance and service capabilities in public services such as healthcare, government, and education. Through continued local engagement and scenario-driven implementation, BEDI is advancing the transition of AI application from isolated pilot projects into scalable solutions, accelerating the development of new quality productive forces.
“AI China Tour” Initiative Launched, Driving Nationwide Adoption of the Industry-City Integration Paradigms
To accelerate the nationwide implementation of the new industry-city integration paradigms, the “AI China Tour” initiative was officially launched at the forum. Jointly initiated by Shanghai Securities News and BEDI, the initiative will bring together a high-level group of experts from industry, academia, and research institutions. Guided by the principle of “engaging key decision-makers to shape the future of industry”, it leverages the research findings and data insights from “China Urban Artificial Intelligence Index Report”. Focusing on tailored empowerment approaches for different regions and industries, the team will engage with local governments through consultations on AI industrial planning, and implement a series of targeted measures to support the upgrading of AI industries across more cities.
Collaborative Industry Alliance for AI Innovation Districts Established, Fostering New Highlands for AI Development
As part of Beijing’s broader efforts to build itself into a global AI innovation leader, the city has announced the first four AI Innovation Districts this year, including the Guangzhi Space in Chaoyang District. Positioned around the integration of optical computing and intelligent technologies, Guangzhi Space focuses on next-generation computing infrastructure and advanced AI applications. It aims to establish a comprehensive AI innovation service ecosystem, promote the integration of AI into real-world scenarios, and foster new business models and industry formats.
During the forum, Chaoyang District officially launched the global call for contributors to the planning guidelines for AI Innovation Districts, as well as the global solicitation of the district’s logo and digital mascot. The district also announced the establishment of the Collaborative Industry Alliance for AI Innovation Districts and initiated three major projects, including quantum-classical computing integration. Going forward, BEDI will play an active role in the alliance and be deeply involved in the development of AI Innovation Districts, providing end-to-end support from technological innovation to industrial deployment, and supporting Beijing in building a leading hub for AI industry development.
At the outset of the 15th Five-Year Plan period, the JXQ AI Forum will continue to serve as a high-level platform that brings together government, industry, academia, and research stakeholders. By promoting the precise and practical application of AI across diverse local contexts, the forum aims to enable every city to identify its own pathway for growth and unlock new momentum for high-quality development.
