2026 World Science and Technology Development Forum opens in Chongqing

Autonomous research agents, verifiable AI safety, and two-way brain-computer interfaces are among 10 science and technology outlooks for 2026 released on Wednesday at the opening of the World Science and Technology Development Forum in Chongqing.

The list covers digital intelligence, life and health, materials manufacturing, energy, and deep-space and deep-sea exploration.

It notes that while AI still cannot independently pose scientific questions, form falsifiable hypotheses, or gather reliable experimental evidence, research agents working under human guidance, with oversight at key stages, could push past those limits.

As models gain autonomy, verifying that they stay aligned with human values grows harder, the list adds, making sustained alignment and verifiable safety essential. It also points to brain-computer interfaces moving from one-way signal reading to two-way, closed-loop systems, which could enable individualized treatment of neurological disorders.

The forum, running until Friday, has drawn about 800 participants, including scientists, educators, business executives, and leaders of international scientific organizations. Its 12 parallel sessions cover topics such as embodied intelligence, green hydrogen and deep-space exploration.

At the opening ceremony, the China Association for Science and Technology signed a memorandum of understanding with the World Federation of Engineering Organizations.

The association launched the forum in 2019 and co-hosts this year's edition, the eighth, with the Chongqing government.