China's robots, AI agents and Nvidia probe: Web Summit 2026 Opens in Lisbon
"The superstars of the future are coming from China, not California,” the Web Summit Founder said amid US-China tech tenions.
China's Aigibot showcased dancing robots during the opening of Web Summit 2026 in Lisbon on Monday, highlighting China's growing influence in AI technology. Web Summit CEO Paddy Cosgrave stated that Chinese companies are building more of the world's future than anyone else in terms of open-source technology. The United States and China are engaged in an intense AI race, with Washington restricting high-powered chip exports to China.
US chip giant Nvidia is investigating CEO Jensen Huang following reports of a foreign intelligence effort targeting him in his relationship with an alleged Chinese spy. Matthew Prince, co-founder of Cloudflare, remarked that the incident's long-term impact on the industry remains unclear, with Huang potentially becoming a hero or villain.
AI agents, designed to perform autonomous actions for humans without direct human input, were also presented at the Web Summit stage. Manus AI, originally founded in China, demonstrated a 30-second AI-generated video using its new 2.0 video technology, requiring only a 13-word prompt. Tao Zhang, co-founder and CPO of Manus, expressed that AI has changed the way he hires engineers, emphasizing the need for individuals who can work effectively with AI.
Web Summit anticipates receiving nearly 70,000 attendees, including 900 speakers, and over two thousand startups, marking the most international edition of the event with representation from every European country.
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