The Web Summit 2026 technology conference officially launched in Lisbon on Monday, with a prominent showcase of Chinese artificial intelligence technology. The event opened with a performance by dancing robots developed by the company Aigibot, signaling the growing influence of Chinese innovation on the global stage.
Web Summit founder and CEO Paddy Cosgrave addressed an audience of approximately 12,000 people, stating that the "superstars of the future" are emerging from China rather than California. He emphasized that Chinese companies are playing a significant role in building the shared future of open-source technology. This development occurs against the backdrop of an ongoing, intense technological race between the United States and China, particularly in the field of artificial intelligence, as Washington continues to implement restrictions on the export of high-powered chips to China.
The conference also addressed recent industry news regarding US chip giant Nvidia. The company is reportedly investigating its CEO, Jensen Huang, following reports that he was the target of a foreign intelligence effort involving a relationship with an alleged Chinese spy. During a panel, Cloudflare co-founder and CEO Matthew Prince commented on the situation, describing the reports as "salacious" while noting that Jensen Huang has been instrumental in cementing the current AI ecosystem.
Beyond robotics, the summit highlighted the rise of AI agents designed to perform autonomous tasks without human intervention. Manus AI, a company with roots in China, demonstrated its new 2.0 video technology by generating a 30-second video from a 13-word prompt. Tao Zhang, co-founder and CPO of Manus, noted that AI is fundamentally shifting recruitment strategies, stating that companies now require personnel capable of working effectively with AI rather than simply seeking specific personality traits.
Web Summit organizers expect this edition to draw nearly 70,000 attendees, featuring 900 speakers and more than two thousand startups. Cosgrave highlighted the event's global reach, noting that it is the most international version of the Lisbon summit to date, with participation from every European country.
