Tuya Smart Co-Founder Alex Yang just dropped a bombshell at the Summer Davos 2026: the future of AI competition is about to get real.
Yang’s Call to Action
Speaking at the 17th Annual Meeting of the New Champions (AMNC) in Dalian, China, Alex Yang emphasized that the next wave of AI innovation will come from real-world applications, not just cutting-edge research.
“We’re moving from an era where AI was all about winning in research papers to one where it’s about winning in the real world,” Yang said. “That means creating products and services that improve people’s lives, not just impressing academics.”
The AI Competition Shift
Yang’s statement highlights a significant shift in the AI competition landscape. For years, the focus has been on building the most advanced AI models, with researchers and companies competing to achieve benchmark scores in areas like image recognition and natural language processing.
However, as AI becomes increasingly ubiquitous, the competition is shifting to real-world domains like smart homes, transportation, and healthcare. Companies like Tuya Smart, which specializes in smart home automation, are now at the forefront of this new competition.
What this means
So, what does this mean for you and me? It means that the next generation of AI innovation will be focused on solving real-world problems, not just pushing the boundaries of what’s possible. Expect to see more AI-powered products and services that make our lives easier, safer, and more enjoyable.
As Alex Yang put it, “The future of AI is not about winning in the lab, but about winning in people’s lives.”
