Huawei Leads Global Digital Transformation with Launch of ”AI City 2026” Report and New International Alliance
Global Summit Shaping the Future of Smart Cities in Shanghai
Chinese telecommunications giant Huawei, in collaboration with China's State Information Center, released a high-level research report on the development of "AI City 2026." The announcement was made during the AI-Driven Government Cities Global Innovation Summit at Huawei Connect 2026 in Shanghai. The event gathered over 500 experts, government representatives, and ecosystem partners from around the globe to discuss the role of AI and data in advancing urban management and public services.
Launching an International Alliance to Boost Innovation and Open Ecosystems
To unify global efforts, Huawei, alongside 14 international partners—including the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) and companies such as TIS, E-Point, HMN Tech, and E-GABY Solution—launched the "Global AI-Driven City Ecosystem Innovation and Development Alliance." The alliance aims to build an open, shared digital ecosystem to foster collaboration in computing, data exchange, and smart city application development.
Global Case Studies and Technical Vision for Proactive Public Services
The summit showcased practical experiences from Saudi Arabia, Angola, and Ethiopia, as well as major Chinese cities including Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen. Simon Zou, Vice President of Public Services Digitization BU and President of Marketing & Solution Sales at Huawei, highlighted that AI agents are now integral to city operations, transitioning services from reactive, walk-in models to proactive, user-centric delivery. To power these solutions, Huawei introduced a reference technical architecture utilizing OpenHarmony for edge devices and the Ascend platform for cloud and edge computing.
The Saudi Experience: Accelerating Digital Transformation and Smart Operations
Mohammed Al-Ashqar, CEO of the City Operations Control Center at the Saudi Ministry of Municipalities and Housing, emphasized that the Kingdom is accelerating its digital transformation under Saudi Vision 2030. He explained that the National Command and Control Center integrates multi-source data—including satellite remote sensing, vehicle sensors, citizen apps, and hotline calls. The integration of AI has shifted operations from reactive incident handling to real-time early warning, with the deployed smart work-order system achieving automatic incident classification and verification accuracy exceeding 80%.
Transitioning to "Super City Agents" and Expanding Global Inclusivity
The report outlines a comprehensive framework for transitioning cities from data-centric operations to the era of "Super City Agents." It emphasizes leveraging smart computing and public cloud infrastructure to drive high-value scenarios, shifting focus from technology building to value realization. Huawei reaffirmed its commitment to collaborating with global partners to build smart, digital, and sustainable cities under the theme of AI inclusivity