On March 15, the 2026 Appliance & Electronics World Expo (AWE2026) concluded after a four-day run. More than 1,200 leading companies from around the world came together to showcase the latest in AI-driven smart living. At the Shanghai New International Expo Centre (SNIEC), the event buzzed with energy and enthusiasm, with preliminary numbers showing visitor attendance up over 30% compared to last year.
At the opening ceremony in Shanghai Eastern Hub International Business Cooperation Zone (Eastern Hub IBCZ) exhibition area, Tao Xiaonian, President of the China Household Electrical Appliances Association (CHEAA), welcomed attendees on behalf of the organizers. He highlighted that amid a global surge in innovation across home appliances and consumer electronics, AWE2026 focused on the theme “Smart AI, Smarter Future,” zeroing in on fostering new quality growth. The expo offered a wide look at cutting-edge breakthroughs in smart devices, intelligent mobility, health tech, embodied artificial intelligence (EAI), and computing infrastructure. Today, AWE has become a vital window into the future of China’s home appliance and consumer electronics industries and the smart technologies shaping modern life.
Industry Leaders and Media Highlight AWE’s Impact and Value
AWE2026 solidified its reputation as a truly global, forward-thinking, and influential platform. Over a hundred visiting groups gathered at the event, including officials from China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, Ministry of Commerce, China National Light Industry Council, Shanghai government departments, as well as Chinese and international distributors, manufacturers, industry associations, multinational executives, and overseas clients of Chinese companies—all coming together to explore the latest industry innovations. At the same time, a large number of consumers and tech enthusiasts attended, underscoring AWE’s broad appeal across both the industry and general public.
The expo attracted significant media attention from major broadcasters like China Media Group (CMG), Dragon TV, and Fuji Television Network. CMG featured AWE2026 in several flagship programs, including CCTV-1's Evening News, CCTV-2's First Time, CCTV-4's China News/Global News, and CCTV-13's Live News, highlighting AI-driven upgrades in the home appliance sector, home service robots, and smart mobility products. Leading media outlets such as Xinhua News Agency, People’s Daily, Economic Daily, China Daily, and Guangming Online also provided in-depth coverage of the event’s key moments and its impact.
AI Transforms Products and Ecosystems, Unveiling the Future of Smart Living
At AWE2026, AI took center stage as the key trend across industries, showcasing how it’s reshaping product design, user experiences, and entire ecosystems. Under the theme “Smart AI, Smarter Future,” top companies demonstrated how AI is becoming deeply integrated into every aspect of smart living.
In the smart home space, AI-powered appliances are using advanced sensing and computing to automatically understand their environment and anticipate users’ needs in everyday tasks like food preservation, cleaning, cooking, water purification, and air quality control. By addressing real user pain points and enabling smooth multi-device interaction, these innovations are making smart homes more comfortable and convenient than ever. Haier Smart Home unveiled its upgraded Eye of AI 2.0 technology along with the new Seeker series, currently the smartest smart home appliances on the market, rated at the industry’s highest intelligence level, L4. Huawei’s Harmony Smart Home system got a major overhaul with the launch of Xiaoyi/Celia Butler 6.0, which brings deeper large AI model integration for better understanding of commands and more precise control of home devices. Hisense rolled out big upgrades in generative AI tech for laundry care, food preservation, and proactive air management, powered by its homegrown StarSea Large Model that takes smart living from “human-controlled” to truly “intelligent.” Siemens introduced the iQ700 laundry set, featuring new AI smart wash tech that monitors water dirtiness in real-time and adjusts washing cycles automatically. Panasonic made waves with the ALPHA G5, the world’s first four-drum all-in-one heat pump washer-dryer, offering a complete solution for laundry in one machine.
Robot technology is increasingly merging with home appliances, giving rise to a new category of “home service robots” that stole the spotlight at AWE2026. These versatile machines, equipped with arms and legs, can handle complex tasks or even control other household devices, and are now making their way into kitchens, living rooms, and cleaning routines. Haier Smart Home launched three types of home service robots: cleaning, companion, and household helpers, including the HIVA Haiwa robots for cleaning, companion, and household application operation. Hisense showcased its housekeeper robot Savvy, companion robot Moii, and humanoid service robot Harley. Fotile revealed the world’s first robotic kitchen featuring an innovative “growing” embodied EAI system. Thanks to precise robotic arms working seamlessly with humanoid robots, this system can automate the entire process from cooking to cleaning. Other standout products included Roborock’s G-Rover—a wheeled and legged vacuum cleaner; MOVA’s flying robot vacuum Pilot 70; TCL’s AiMe, the world’s first modular AI companion robot; Ecovacs’ biomimetic pet companion LilMIlo; and Dreame’s robotic clothes folder—all designed to meet different household needs.
In the field of EAI, AI is giving robots the “brains” to navigate and interact with the physical world. Cutting-edge products like humanoid robots and four-legged robotic dogs are starting to find practical industry uses. At the new Innovation Tech Zone in the international exhibition area, attendees saw some impressive demos: Unitree’s G1 humanoid robot put on a boxing match; Magiclab’s Z1 robot showed off the Kung Fu moves made famous at the Spring Festival Gala; TARS’s A1 robot broke the Guinness World Record with its flexible wire harness assembly skills; Zeroth’s wheeled collaborative robot arm N1 demonstrated precise tasks like screwing on bottle caps; and GENISOM AI’s wheeled robot Tongchui M1 showcased its ability to overcome obstacles, highlighting major strides in perception and motion control. Also making waves was Tesla’s much-anticipated third-generation humanoid robot, debuting as the company’s first large-scale mass-produced model.
In the cutting-edge display sector, screens continue to be the centerpiece of home entertainment, evolving with sharper image quality, richer colors, and deeper immersion. Sony gave the world its first look at its new generation true-color RGB TV. Hisense introduced the world’s first Linglong four-chip RGB Mini-LED TV, the UX 2026, boasting an impressive 110% coverage of the BT.2020 color gamut. TCL launched the flagship TCL X11L, the industry’s first TV featuring SQD-Mini LED technology, and also showcased several printed OLED products as part of its growing “Screen Universe” ecosystem. LG made waves with major products like the LG Signature OLED T transparent TV and a massive 136-inch Micro LED TV. Changhong’s Golden Label T70S debuted as the industry’s first RGB Mini LED TV to simultaneously control light, color, and field—powered by its in-house Lingmou AI system that perfectly adjusts the display based on the surrounding environment.
On the smart hardware front, AI is rapidly shifting from the cloud to edge devices. AWE2026 showcased a wide range of smart glasses. Robam unveiled the industry’s first AI cooking glasses, featuring the groundbreaking “Culinary Master” AI model tailored for the kitchen. Qianwen debuted its G1 AI glasses, powered by its own large language model. RayNeo introduced “RayNeo Smart Life,” a local lifestyle app for smart glasses. Shokz made its China debut with two AI glasses designed for the visually impaired and athletes—OpenGuide AI and OpenVision. Rokid demonstrated AI glasses with a practical teleprompter feature. These booths were among the most popular at the show. Additionally, Ugreen introduced its new iDX series AI NAS devices powered by large language models, Dreame launched its self-developed flagship smartphone processor “Chixiao 01,” and Insta360 showcased its 8K panoramic X5 camera. Overall, the exhibition highlighted how AI is rapidly becoming a core part of consumer electronics, with a host of exciting new products showing the technology’s growing impact.
In the automotive and smart mobility field, vehicles are becoming crucial smart hubs that connect home environments, city services, and personal data. At the show, leading companies put their top technologies on display. Huawei’s Harmony Intelligent Mobility Alliance (HIMA) lineup took center stage in its all-scenario booth, featuring models like the Zunjie S800 and AITO M9—both outfitted with the industry’s highest-resolution mass-produced dual-optical-path LiDAR, boasting 896 scanning lines. BYD showcased its dual-focus strategy of a “smart ecosystem” combined with fast-charging tech, debuting its fast-charging system for the first time and unveiling a “1+6+X” product ecosystem that covers vehicle-to-home connectivity, smartphone integration, and related services. Tesla highlighted its Cybertruck, packed with advanced features like a 48V low-voltage system and steer-by-wire technology. Dreame Auto made a global debut with its SUV concept car, Nebula NEXT 01X, part of its “Starry Sky” initiative. NAVEE introduced a diverse smart mobility lineup, including flying go-karts, watercraft, and smart coupes. Popular two-wheel electric vehicles like the Ninebot MAX G3 scooter and Skymotor’s K95C Max electric motorcycle also drew attention.
At the Eastern Hub IBCZ venue, a slew of cutting-edge products made their debut in China. Lenovo unveiled its Legion Pro Rollable concept AI PC, BOE introduced its HERO 2.0 intelligent driving cockpit, and Intel showcased its third-generation Core Ultra processors. ZTE launched its first AI-native smartphone, the nubia M153, featuring ByteDance’s Doubao smart assistant—ushering in a new era of human-computer interaction. AgiBot presented the “Lingxi X2,” a robot with advanced emotional interaction capabilities that engaged closely with visitors. Xpeng Huitian displayed its “Land Aircraft” flying car, while VerTaxi debuted the M1 eVTOL “air taxi,” illustrating a vision for the future of low-altitude urban mobility. Deep Robotics highlighted its latest advances in EAI with a quadruped robot. Evoco teamed up with Bose to release the world’s first active noise-canceling AI hearing aid, aimed at improving communication for seniors. Anker Innovations showcased the eufyMake UV Printer E1, using 3D texture tech to revolutionize creative tools.
Jiang Feng, Executive President of CHEAA, told CCTV-13 that China’s goal for home appliance innovation over the 15th Five-Year Plan period is to lead the world in high-level innovation, cultivating top-tier tech companies and talent. He said AWE2026 is a powerful testament to the industry’s progress and highlights the energy and potential of China’s home appliance and consumer electronics sectors on the global innovation map.
Consumer Buzz Drives Strong Momentum and Expands Expo’s Reach
On March 13, the 2026 National Home Appliance and Digital/Smart Product Consumption Season kicked off at AWE. At the event, CHEAA released its 2026 Whitepaper on Home Appliance Consumption Trend, highlighting a shift in consumer behavior—from simply meeting basic needs to pursuing higher-quality experiences, and from just replacing single items to refreshing entire living environments and lifestyles.
In support of the government’s push to boost domestic demand and promote trade-in programs, AWE2026 teamed up with leading platforms like JD.com, Tmall, Douyin Mall, and Suning to launch the “AWE Shopping Festival” alongside the exhibition. By combining platform subsidies with strong brand promotions, the AWE Shopping Festival captured the buzz around the event and ignited a wave of enthusiasm for upgrading home appliances. This approach clearly showed how quality supply drives consumer demand and how immersive experiences encourage spending upgrades, while also unlocking the powerful ripple effects of AWE’s “exhibition plus consumption” model.
AWE’s lively and diverse live-streaming events helped take its influence beyond industry insiders and into the mainstream. According to unofficial numbers, a star-studded lineup, including CCTV hosts Neghmat and Zhu Guangquan, tech and lifestyle influencers like YSJF Tim, He Tongxue, Bi Dao, and Dong Yuhui, Olympic champions Xu Mengtao and Quan Hongchan, football legends Steven Gerrard and Claude Makelele, as well as celebrities like Zhang Chaoyang, Cecilia Cheung, Yang Mi, Angela Zhang, and Song Weilong—all came together at AWE2026 to celebrate AI innovation and share fresh insights into smart living. The “AWE Livestream Night” was expanded to a two-night event, with hundreds of brands streaming live simultaneously, greatly boosting AWE’s online reach and engagement.
Among the event’s highlights were the AWE Coffee Lifestyle Festival and the AWE Kitchen & Gourmet Festival, which quickly became some of the most popular attractions on-site. Centered around the idea of enjoying quality “coffee at home,” the Coffee Lifestyle Festival featured multiple brands offering interactive check-ins, tasting sessions, coffee workshops, and prize giveaways. Meanwhile, the Kitchen & Gourmet Festival, themed “Casting My Crush Kitchen Appliance,” creatively combined smart kitchen technology with food experiences, bringing tech closer to people’s everyday lives.
Igniting the Future: Forums Unite Industry Around New Growth Vision
As a vital part of the AWE ecosystem, the concurrent forums at AWE2026 demonstrated a clear focus on current trends and high industry relevance. Key topics included industrial intelligence advancement, the human-car-home integration, and home ecosystems, home service robots, appliance retail under the national subsidy policy, and innovation through supply chain collaboration.
On the opening day, the Home Service Robot Industry Development Forum & Launch Ceremony of CHEAA's Home Service Robot Committee was hosted. Under the theme “A New Home-Robot Ecosystem Empowered by AI,” the event brought together leading academics from Tsinghua University, pioneers in EAI, and major appliance manufacturers to explore breakthroughs at the intersection of large AI models and EAI. The forum also delved into market growth drivers for home service robots and tackled key challenges facing industry adoption. During the event, CHEAA officially launched the Home Service Robot Committee and unveiled the first-ever White Paper on Home Service Robot Industry Development, signaling the start of a new era of cross-industry collaboration among players in home appliances, AI, robotics, key components, and advanced materials.
On the second day of the event, the “AWE Summit 2026—Future Home AI Life,” hosted by the AWE committee with special support from Xiaohongshu, brought together top global home appliance brands, tech firms, lifestyle platforms, and specialists in EAI. The forum focused on reshaping living spaces for the AI-native era, bringing EAI into the home, seamless human-car-home integration, and building security and trust frameworks for smart homes. During the forum, the report Interconnection Standards for Intelligent Connected Vehicles and Smart Home Systems was released, providing a clear technical roadmap and standards to enable smooth human-car-home connectivity.
Alongside the exhibition, a series of important industry events took place, including the China Household Appliance Retail Innovation Summit, China Household Electrical Appliance Industry Chain Conference, the Third Future Home Design-Smart Living Trend Release, and the Vehicle-Home Interconnection Standards Workshop. At the Eastern Hub IBCZ venue, AWE’s main forum, the Young Technology Leaders Forum, and several professional summits and product launches were also held, offering valuable insights to help the industry stay ahead of trends and deepen collaborations.
With AWE2026 wrapping up successfully, the journey of innovation and real-world smart living applications is far from over. We look forward to coming together again next spring at AWE to witness the next big leap in home appliances, consumer electronics, and emerging tech sectors.