China has used its first big artificial intelligence expo since the release of homegrown DeepSeek’s breakthrough model to assert its AI ambitions to an international audience, presenting an alternative to US President Donald Trump’s “America First” vision and showcasing the country’s vast manufacturing capabilities.

Star founders, Beijing officials and deep-pocketed financiers converge on Shanghai by the thousands this weekend to attend China’s most important AI summit. At the top of the agenda: how to propel Beijing’s ambitions to leapfrog the US in artificial intelligence — and profit off that drive.