Global developer conference has sharp focus on open-source advancements
GDC 2025 opened in Shanghai with exhibitions and forums in Xuhui District.
The 2025 Global Developer Conference (GDC), Shanghai's flagship AI developer event, opened on Saturday with a sharp focus on open-source advancements and vertical industry applications.
The conference highlighted Shanghai's accelerating push to cement its role as a "global AI hub," unveiling a slew of strategic projects, partnerships, and ecosystem initiatives aimed at driving AI adoption across sectors like automotive, healthcare, education and robotics.
During the opening ceremony, officials from China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT), the Shanghai government, and global open-source communities such as the Apache Software Foundation joined Shanghai Mayor Gong Zheng to highlight the city's AI progress.
Contracts were signed at GDC 2025 for AI's application in vertical industries.
Open-source wave
Vice Mayor Chen Jie emphasized Shanghai's achievements in technological innovation, cross-industry collaboration, and international cooperation, pledging to leverage the city's scale and dynamism to foster an open, vibrant environment for global AI developers.
Shanghai's AI industry revenue reached 450 billion yuan (US$62 billion) by the end of 2024, with more than 60 nationally approved generative AI models – second highest in China.
Building on this momentum, city officials announced plans to strengthen open-source AI ecosystems and accelerate vertical applications, propelled by initiatives like the Global AI for Science Developer Community, the Shanghai Foundation Model Innovation Center Infrastructure Upgrading Plan, and the "LLM for a Smarter Shanghai" Open-Source Innovation Ecosystem Initiative.
The open-source wave, supercharged by the rise of models like DeepSeek since January, has deepened Chinese firms' engagement in global developer communities, noted Shen Xiangyang, a Tsinghua University professor and former Microsoft Research executive.
Speakers explain how to "land" AI.
Vertical AI applications
Major AI players MiniMax, StepFun, and SenseTime inked deals with software, robotics, and insurance firms to deploy their models commercially, while forums buzzed with discussions on AI's transformative potential.
At a SenseTime-hosted session, automaker NIO predicted that open-source AI models will redefine smart vehicle experiences, enabling cars to "anticipate user needs."
Meanwhile, SenseTime's infrastructure – already powering DeepSeek and its proprietary models – has seen adoption by state-owned enterprises, telecom providers, and sectors like finance and automotive.
The event drew crowds packing forums to explore AI's real-world impact. Seats of the forum were fully occupied early, while visitors and developers stood to listen to the forums for hours, Shanghai Daily learned.
