The World Internet Conference’s 2025 Wuzhen Summit brought together leading global experts on artificial intelligence in Zhejiang, where discussions focused on driving the future of AI innovation and governance. Organized by the World Internet Conference and co-hosted by the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) and Beijing Zhongguancun Laboratory, the forum brought together scholars, industry leaders, and international representatives to examine advances in generative AI and Large Language Models while building consensus on a balanced approach to development and security.

Academician ZHU Jiaojun from the Institute of Applied Ecology, CAS, was invited to deliver a keynote address. The forum also featured remarks from Fabrizio Hochschild, former UN Under-Secretary-General, and Balthasar Staehelin, head of the International Committee of the Red Cross East Asia Delegation, and other distinguished speakers from China and abroad.

In his keynote, Academician ZHU outlined three key challenges facing forest ecology: the difficulty of obtaining high-quality data, the complexity of uncovering ecological mechanisms, and the need for more robust scientific support for decision-making. He proposed a new research paradigm powered by digital twins and intelligent decision systems, focusing on 3D reconstruction, simulation-based analysis, and AI-assisted decision tools. Academician ZHU highlighted AI’s significant potential to address intricate ecological questions and advance the transformation of ecological research methodologies in the digital era.

The forum also released an important report titled Advancing a Global Framework of AI Safety and Governance for the Well-being of Humanity, published by the World Internet Conference’s AI Professional Committee. Industry representatives from leading technology companies, including Baidu, Alibaba, and Tencent, shared their latest achievements in applying AI and large model technologies. Academician ZHU engaged in an in-depth exchange with these industry experts on AI’s emerging applications in ecological science.

Widely regarded as one of China’s most influential events in the digital sector, the Wuzhen Summit continues to shape global internet governance and technological cooperation. Academician ZHU’s participation highlighted IAE’s growing influence in cross-disciplinary innovation, particularly its efforts to integrate next-generation information technologies into forest ecology.

Figure 1. Academician ZHU Jiaojun delivers his keynote speech at the summit