With large model API call costs plummeting over 80% within a year, making millions of tokens available for mere cents, the competitive landscape in the AI industry has shifted dramatically. The focus is no longer solely on technical benchmarks but has returned to the fundamental measure of value: the ability to deliver tangible cost reduction and efficiency gains in practical application scenarios.
Industry attention has decisively moved from laboratory rankings and theoretical advancements to real-world production lines, hospital clinics, logistics warehouses, and urban management back-ends. In 2026, those who can solve genuine problems in complex environments will emerge as the key players driving this AI transformation.
From May 19th to 20th, the 2026 AI Partner·Beijing E-town AI+ Industry Conference was successfully held at the Tongming Lake International Convention and Exhibition Center in Beijing E-town. Guided by the Beijing E-town Management Committee and hosted by 36Kr, with the National Information Technology Innovation Park as the undertaker, the conference featured a comprehensive program including 9 roundtable discussions, 22 keynote speeches, and a unique "World Cafe" style AI+ industry matchmaking session.
The event gathered 60 representatives from leading domestic enterprises. Notably, 13 demand-side companies, presenting real scenarios, budgets, and pain points, engaged in direct, in-depth discussions with 36 technology providers.
As Feng Dagang, CEO of 36Kr, highlighted in his opening remarks: "Most attendees walking into the Tongming Lake Convention Center had one thing on their mind – not to hear about how powerful AI is, but to see if AI is truly usable, how to implement it, what the costs are, and how much value it can ultimately create."
A participant's observation further underscored this pragmatic shift: "Previously, at AI conferences, discussions revolved around 'what AI could do in the future.' Today, in E-town, people are directly asking, 'Can your solution reduce costs by 10% on my production line?'"
This "de-bubbling and quality testing" atmosphere permeated every aspect of the conference. The industry is currently in dire need not of conceptual thinkers, but of practical implementers who have navigated challenges, optimized processes, and successfully brought AI solutions to fruition. The conference notably compiled insights from speakers, with each "golden quote" attributed to an expert who has genuinely deployed AI on the front lines and achieved results.
