From September 9th to 13th, the 2026 China International Fair for Trade in Services was held at Shougang Park in Beijing. Under the theme "Smart Renewal, Financial Cohesion," the financial services section brought together 75 domestic and international financial institutions, including several leading enterprises and foreign firms.
A key highlight this year was the focus on real-world implementation and scenario-based experiences, showcasing tangible, applicable AI-driven financial innovations. Centering on fintech and cross-border finance, the exhibition promoted the full integration of AI into marketing, risk control, and business processing across the financial chain. Through a combination of live demonstrations and high-level forums, the event aimed to both bring convenient digital finance to everyday life and address financing challenges for tech enterprises.
AI Makes Inroads into Daily Life
At the exhibition, AI technology was embedded in practical tools across government services, banking, insurance risk control, and inclusive consumption. The Industrial and Commercial Bank of China stand featured an AI assistant for housing fund calculations, drawing interest from corporate HR and finance staff. The tool integrates HR, financial, and fund data to automate base calculations and alert users to personnel changes, providing responses in seconds. According to staff, it already serves over 1,100 organizations.
China Construction Bank introduced its "Bangde Assistant," an AI tool for frontline relationship managers. With simple commands, it enables tasks like "finding clients with one sentence" or "matching financial products with one sentence," while also analyzing customer assets to offer tailored allocation advice. This AI-native assistant has become a key part of daily operations, boosting customer service efficiency.
Beyond professional systems, digital yuan experiences allowed visitors to engage directly with AI-powered convenience. At ICBC's robot ice cream station, attendees could link their digital yuan wallets and pay just one cent for a robotic arm to prepare their treat, showcasing instant payment. Similarly, Agricultural Bank of China offered freshly ground coffee for one cent, paired with digital yuan micro-payments. Demonstrations also promoted daily spending discounts to encourage habitual use of digital payments.
Visitors noted a more interactive experience this year. One attendee, Ms. Liu, shared with reporters that she could not only use digital yuan for purchases but also get clear, jargon-free advice on consumer and inclusive loans at on-site service desks. Many banks set up such counters, where staff provided one-on-one explanations on loan eligibility, approval times, and repayment terms for retail and small business customers.
For tech-focused enterprises, AI tools are helping solve credit assessment challenges. Systems like ICBC's "Gongyin Zhice" AI model, CCB's "Kechuang Zhice" system, and Hua Xia Bank's quantum large model are now part of regular banking operations. By analyzing patent data, R&D team strength, and project progress, these tools fill gaps in traditional credit evaluations that often overlook asset-light, high-R&D tech firms.
Building a New Ecosystem for Industry, Capital, and Innovation
The exhibition demonstrated AI's current impact on daily life and the real economy. Simultaneously, a forum titled "Financial Assistance for High-Quality Real Economy Development" explored the theme "Coexistence Through Innovation: Industry, Capital, and Technology in the AI Era." Discussions focused on how finance can better support AI-driven industrial transformation, addressing pain points in financing, valuation, and market application. The event brought together regulators, researchers, financial institutions, and leading AI companies to delve into topics like computing power infrastructure, patient capital, intelligent risk control, and full-cycle financial services for enterprises.
Speakers concurred that AI technologies, such as large models and intelligent agents, are driving systemic changes that will reshape traditional R&D, production, and financial services. Wang Yiming, former deputy director of the Development Research Center of the State Council, noted in his address that "the collective breakthroughs in cutting-edge AI technologies are reshaping the paradigms of tech innovation, the logic of industrial development, and the models of financial empowerment." He explained that AI fundamentally overhauls R&D systems by enabling simulation, pattern discovery, and parameter optimization, drastically reducing development cycles and trial costs. It also breaks down barriers between basic research, applied research, and industrial application, creating a closed-loop ecosystem of data accumulation, algorithm refinement, and feedback-driven upgrades.
Ma Jie, co-founder of Beijing-based AI company 01.AI, pointed out that the financial sector, with its vast data and parameter processing needs, is highly suited for AI. However, due to strict regulations and accountability concerns, the openness of financial scenarios remains limited. He expressed hope for more opportunities to apply the latest AI models and industry practices in finance, expanding their utility. He also noted that AI companies themselves are generating new demands for financial services.
To support this, Wang Yiming advocated for innovative financial products tailored to the AI era. This includes promoting light-asset financing options like intellectual property pledges and tech credit, and developing evaluation systems based on technical value, R&D capability, and team strength. He also stressed the need for smarter valuation, risk control, and assessment systems to improve efficiency and decision-making, ultimately building a fintech framework that fosters a virtuous cycle of technological breakthroughs, industrial upgrades, and financial empowerment.