Six industry leaders—Wang Xingxing, founder of Unitree Robotics; Han Bicheng, founder of BrainCo; Huang Xiaohuang, co-founder of Kujiale; Zhu Qiuguo, founder of DeepRobotics; Feng Ji, founder of Game Science; and Chen Deli, senior researcher at DeepSeek—gathered in dark suits to discuss the latest AI developments at the 2025 World Internet Conference (WIC) in Wuzhen. This marked the first public appearance of these rising tech stars, dubbed the "Six Dragons," at the forum’s high-profile dialogue session.
Wang Xingxing recalled his first WIC attendance in 2017, when he showcased Unitree’s inaugural robotic dog, Laikago. The same morning, JD.com’s Richard Liu returned to Wuzhen after years away, promoting the company’s unmanned logistics solutions. Liu’s last appearance at WIC was also in 2017—a golden year for China’s internet elite. Back then, Liu and Meituan’s Wang Xing hosted the famed "Dongxing Banquet," attended by Tencent’s Pony Ma, Hillhouse’s Zhang Lei, ByteDance’s Zhang Yiming, Xiaomi’s Lei Jun, and other titans.
Fast forward to today: new-gen tech founders share the spotlight with returning veterans, signaling Wuzhen’s evolution. A viral photo from 2017 shows a 25-year-old Wang Xingxing nervously seated at the edge of a table beside Lei Jun, Zhihu’s Zhou Yuan, and Meituan’s Wang Xing. At the time, Wang’s startup was struggling—his robotic demo malfunctioned, and funding was nearly exhausted. By 2018, GeekPark’s venture arm threw him a lifeline; later, Lei Jun and Wang Xing became investors.
The 2014–2017 conferences buzzed with bold predictions. Baidu’s Robin Li pivoted to mobile search; Alibaba’s Jack Ma defended e-commerce profitability; Sohu’s Charles Zhang envisioned ubiquitous smart devices. Tencent’s Pony Ma highlighted healthy competition driving digital payments, while Li foresaw AI revolutionizing repetitive cognitive tasks.
By 2019, discussions shifted to 5G and tech ethics. In 2023, large language models dominated conversations. Now, AI is undisputedly center stage. Wang Xingxing, no longer an outsider, predicts "more robotics breakthroughs in 2026–2027," citing rapid advances in embodied AI. Kujiale’s Huang Xiaohuang emphasized spatial intelligence as the next frontier post-LLMs, while Game Science’s Feng Ji championed AI-generated music and urged embracing cutting-edge AI.
At the 2025 opening, JD.com’s Liu announced robotic sorting centers achieving 90% automation, with fully unmanned delivery stations launching globally by April 2026. "Robots will free humans to work just one hour weekly," he quipped. Sohu’s Zhang, meanwhile, spotlighted AI’s role in social and e-commerce innovation.
From banquets to AI roundtables, Wuzhen’s narrative reflects tech’s relentless march—where pioneers and newcomers alike race toward the future.