Shanghai AI Show Becomes Massive Retail Floor, Driving Consumption with Robots, Smart Tech

An artificial intelligence innovation show currently under way at Shanghai's West Bund is charting a new course for technology exhibitions. Breaking from the tradition of purely technical showcases, the West Bund International Tech Consumer Carnival (WTCC) is functioning as a massive retail floor, offering over 100 AI-powered products – from personal robots, smart toys to cutting-edge glasses – for on-site pre-order or purchase.

The event, which opened on Friday and runs until Tuesday, is designed to position the exhibition not just as a glimpse into the future, but as a direct driver of consumer spending and the broader economy.

A major highlight of the WTCC is Orca, a humanoid robot powered by StepFun's AI model. It captivated visitors with its human-like reactions and sophisticated interactions. Orca deeply integrates natural language understanding, precise physical movements and rich emotional expression, moving far beyond the "human-machine feel" of traditional robots to offer a fluid, highly immersive experience.

Shanghai-based StepFun and toy vendors also showcased Optimus Prime, a robot that can transform based on voice control commands. Vendors stated that Optimus Prime is priced at 6,999 yuan (US$1,000) and features autonomous programming capabilities for designing custom actions.

Other major robot manufacturers, including Unitree and Fourier, are also providing live demonstrations at the WTCC.

The growing trend of companion robots is evident, with various pet and toy designs on display. This includes Mirumi, a soft-appearing, Japan-developed robot that redefines the AI companion concept. Notably, Mirumi lacks voice recognition, a screen or a camera, instead operating through two miniature sensors that allow it to respond naturally to human presence and touch.

Meanwhile, Shenzhen-listed Hanwang Technology demonstrated a novel flying "machine bird" designed for children, featuring low-altitude flight and the ability to take off and stop quickly.

The show also features the latest in wearable technology, with AI eyewear makers like Alibaba-backed Quark, Rokid and Xreal exhibiting new products. Most devices are available for immediate pre-order or purchase. Quark's offering, in particular, highlighted support for new payment applications.

On a new release stage of the WTCC, StepFun unveiled its new desktop-based AI Agent. This software is designed to execute complex tasks for users on their computers, autonomously connecting information, intelligently retrieving and processing local files, flexibly managing browsers, system calendars and memos and executing scheduled tasks. Currently available for Mac, a Windows version is planned for the future.

The company predicts rapid commercial growth, driven by a sharp rise in multi-modal model calls from smart terminals, in the first half of 2025 across sectors like mobile phones and automobiles, with the aim to hit 1 billion yuan in annual revenue.