On July 3, 2026, SLAI's Center for Language, Intelligence and Machines,Center for Embodied Artificial Intelligence and Computer Vision Center for Embodied Intelligence and Computer Vision, and Center for AI for Social Science, together with the Futian District Science, Technology, Industry and Information Technology Bureau (AI Industry Office), co-organized an Open Day. Marking the debut joint event of SLAI's three major research hubs, the Open Day showcased cutting-edge AI breakthroughs through tech demonstrations, keynote speeches, and an entrepreneurship roundtable. The event drew over 100 guests, including university researchers, business representatives, investors, and startup teams, forging an exchange platform for industry-academia collaboration and innovation.

Group photo of the event

Getting Hands-On with Cutting-Edge AI

At noon, the Open Day kicked off with a demo tour. Mind-Powered Tic-Tac-Toe: Using BCI headsets, participants controlled a robotic arm with their thoughts, witnessing the magic of "thought into action". HumanX Humanoid Robot: The robot demonstrated basketball passing, internalizing complex human-robot coordination into instinctive motor responses. Economic World Model: Participants stepped into the shoes of economic agents, competing head-to-head with AI in interactive games.

Other interactive demos included micro-expressive humanoid robots, a digital twin city platform, and magnetically controlled medical microrobots, giving visitors a tangible sense of AI transitioning from digital space into the physical world.

Hands-on demonstrations of cutting-edge technologies at SLAI’s three AI centers

Academicians and Experts Chart AI's Path to Real-World Impact

The Open Day got underway at 2:00 PM. In his opening remarks, Prof. Haizhou Li, Academician of the Academy of Engineering Singapore, Director of SLAI's Center for Language, Intelligence and Machines, and Dean of the School of Artificial Intelligence at CUHK-Shenzhen, expressed his hope that the event would foster in-depth exchanges among universities, enterprises, investors, and innovation teams to accelerate the deployment of AI innovations in real-world scenarios.

Prof. Haizhou Li delivers the opening remarks.

During the event, a reporter from China National Radio (CNR) interviewed Academician Haizhou Li, Prof. Ping Tan, and Prof. Benyou Wang. Academician Haizhou Li noted, "The key to technology implementation lies in finding the intersection between real-world needs and existing technical capabilities, rather than blindly pursuing groundbreaking innovations in every single technology." Prof. Ping Tan shared his views on the development of embodied intelligence, stating that enabling AI to transition from the digital world to the physical world is the most critical step forward for computer vision and robotics. Prof. Benyou Wang emphasized that research should not remain confined to academic papers and that researchers should be encouraged to identify concrete problems in real settings, closing the loop from research to product development and commercialization. Together, the three experts offered profound insights on technological evolution, practical applications, and commercialization of research outcomes, charting a path for AI's journey into the real world.

Profs Haizhou Li, Ping Tan, and Benyou Wang 
are interviewed by a CNR reporter.

Two Leading Experts Explore New Frontiers in AI Innovation

Prof. Xuegong Zhang from Tsinghua University, with appointments at the Department of Automation, the School of Life Sciences, and Tsinghua Medicine, presented a keynote speech titled Counterfactual Reasoning in Cell Fate Determination. He highlighted the latest advances in AI-driven life sciences research and engaged the audience in a thoughtful dialogue on AI's role in the life sciences.

Dr. Ruyi Gan, VP of X Square Robot, shared his insights in a talk titled From VLA to WUM: The Paradigm Evolution of Embodied Intelligence. He traced the development trajectory and industrial application trends of embodied AI technologies, prompting considerable discussion among the audience.

Keynote speeches and interactive Q&As

One-Minute Tech Showcases

In the demo spotlight session, teams took the stage for rapid-fire one-minute pitches, distilling their core technologies, product prototypes, and application scenarios. Ranging from smart hardware to industry-specific solutions and from foundational technology breakthroughs to user experience innovations, these concise presentations impressed investors, industry representatives, and academic peers alike, showcasing the ingenuity of SLAI’s young researchers and the commercialization potential of their projects.

Presentations in the demo spotlight session

Addressing Real Challenges, Discussing Tech Commercialization

The entrepreneurship roundtable assembled research mentors, seasoned investors, and industry representatives to tackle the real-world hurdles facing student-led AI innovation projects. Core discussions centered on tech iteration, scenario validation, resource connection, and incubation support, charting a clear path from prototype to deployment.

Entrepreneurship roundtable

Two Awards Recognizing Outstanding Innovation

During the award ceremony, Prof. Haizhou Li presented two top prizes to outstanding projects: the "Top VC Pick" and the "Best Demo". The "Top VC Pick" prize honors innovations with significant commercial potential and investment value, while the "Best Demo" prize spotlights technical sophistication, maturity, and presentation quality . Prof. Li presented trophies and certificates to each winning team and commended their efforts to translate research into real-world impact .

Prof. Haizhou Li presents awards.

The future of AI is defined not just by papers and algorithms but by every hands-on demo and cross-disciplinary dialogue. Following the ceremony, guests and attendees moved to the demo zone for continued exchanges, with deep dives into technology pathways and business models.

Demo zone

Innovation converges through connection; technology thrives through application. Going forward, SLAI remains committed to building an open and collaborative innovation platform that drives AI innovations from the lab to the real world, where they can serve real needs.