The 2026 China Automation and Artificial Intelligence Popular Science Conference was successfully held in Beijing from January 31 to February 1. Organized by the China Automation Society and other institutions, this conference is part of a series of events celebrating the 65th anniversary of the society. The theme of the conference was “Upholding the Original Intention for 65 Years, Cultivating New Talent through Collaborative Education and Science”, adhering to the mission of serving academia, technology, and society, and aimed at providing a high-level exchange platform.
The conference attracted over 600 representatives from various sectors to attend in person, with nearly one million viewers participating through online streaming. This event has injected new momentum into the high-quality development of popular science in automation and artificial intelligence.
In his opening speech, Chairman Yang Mengfei emphasized that since the Third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party, the integrated strategy of “Education, Technology, and Talent” has become increasingly prominent. With the deepening of the “Artificial Intelligence + “ initiative, intelligent popular science has emerged as a crucial tool for empowering high-quality economic and social development. He reiterated that for 65 years, the China Automation Society has remained committed to its mission of “popularizing scientific knowledge and cultivating innovative talent”. Looking ahead, the society will focus on fostering a new educational model that integrates various educational levels, promoting the popularization of cutting-edge resources, and creating a collaborative education framework to illuminate the path to a strong nation.
The keynote presentations addressed various dimensions such as educational philosophy, the current state of science education, and the restructuring of disciplines. Experts Liu Jiaqin, Wu Xiangping, and Zheng Nanning delivered talks titled “Learning from Masters, Friendship through Love”, “The Current Status and Reflections on Science Education for Youth in the Age of Artificial Intelligence”, and “Disciplinary Restructuring and the Cultivation of Top Innovative Talent in the AI Era”. These presentations provided essential insights and practical guidance for the high-quality development of science education and the cultivation of innovative talent in the AI age.
Experts engaged in in-depth discussions around the theme of “Collaborative Education and Integrated Talent Cultivation”. They unanimously agreed that future education should aim to construct a new ecosystem that integrates teachers, students, and technology, emphasizing the essence of education and strengthening students’ ethical awareness and critical thinking abilities, thereby solidifying the foundation for nurturing innovative talent.
The conference also featured five thematic meetings focusing on core topics such as the integration of artificial intelligence in education, popular science practices in rural areas, and the educational transformation driven by 15th Five-Year Plan technologies. These discussions analyzed key issues and real challenges in leveraging intelligent technologies for educational development, providing recommendations for advancing the digital transformation of education, the implementation of popular science, and the construction of high-quality education systems.
To address the practical needs of frontline education, the conference included three parallel workshops aimed at sharing teaching methods, practical tools, and exemplary cases with science teachers and educators, supporting the professional development of the science education workforce. Concurrently, the 2025 China Automation Society Popular Science Hundred-Person Group Achievements Exhibition and the AI Exploration Camp for Students showcased the society’s popular science efforts and youth AI research findings, creating an innovative platform for science communication and youth achievements.
During the conference, the Blue Book on the Research Report of Core AI Literacy for Chinese Youth was officially launched. This report aims to provide critical data support and theoretical guidance for the standardized, high-quality development of AI education in China, marking a new stage in the assessment of youth scientific literacy.
As part of the celebrations for the 65th anniversary of the China Automation Society, this conference has laid a solid foundation and pointed the way for the high-quality development of popular science in automation and artificial intelligence at a new historical starting point. Moving forward, the China Automation Society will leverage this event to continue advancing the integration of popular science and education, promoting automation and artificial intelligence education to reach new heights, and injecting robust momentum into the construction of a strong nation in education and technology.
Original article by NenPower, If reposted, please credit the source: https://nenpower.com/blog/2026-china-automation-and-artificial-intelligence-science-popularization-conference-successfully-held-in-beijing/
