New Open-Source AIOS Alliance at WAIC 2026 To Boost On-Device AI

An open-source AI operating system industry alliance, initiated by Arm China, was officially announced at the ongoing World Artificial Intelligence Conference 2026. The new AIOS Alliance is designed to boost on-device AI development and accelerate the accessibility of artificial intelligence applications across China.

Arm China, a leading chip IP design and service provider in China, launched the AIOS Alliance with an initial cohort of 20 partners. The alliance's diverse foundational members span chip designers like Unisoc and Black Sesame, hardware and device vendors such as Magiclab and Dfrobot and academic institutions including the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology.

Arm China will leverage Arm's global ecosystem resources, its full-stack technical strengths spanning cloud, edge and device, and robust model capabilities to provide technical support for next-generation AI product innovation, according to Quincy Liang, Vice President, Head of Marketing & Ecosystem, Arm China. The company aims to drive the large-scale deployment of AIOS on a wide array of emerging smart devices.

The event marks Arm China's debut at WAIC. The company's booth showcased Edge AI, Physical AI and Cloud AI applications tailored for smart wearables intelligent home appliances, AI PCs, smartphones, automotive systems, robotics, and data centers.

The alliance's debut also highlighted growing synergies between two major regional tech hubs. Industry officials interviewed on-site at WAIC noted that Shanghai and Hong Kong hold immense potential for strategic cooperation in artificial intelligence.

HKUST has already launched its Artificial Intelligence and Entrepreneurship project to cultivate elite talent, and has established a physical AI center in Shanghai, according to Guo Song, a professor at the university.

Arm China's Liang noted that Shanghai boasts an incredibly robust semiconductor supply chain, while Hong Kong benefits from its close proximity to Shenzhen's advanced hardware supply chain, perfect combination for accelerating fields like embodied intelligence.