Jornal Económico | 28 August 2026

Shanghai is once again the destination for Portuguese executives to learn about AI applications

Shanghai is once again the destination chosen by Instinct for a business mission dedicated to artificial intelligence (AI), which will bring together a select group of Portuguese executives and entrepreneurs.

This will be the third time that the organisation has taken national business leaders to the Chinese city to get a close-up look at the companies and technologies that are shaping the development of AI.

Over five days, participants will have contact with companies from different sectors, including automotive, digital services, robotics, industrial automation and healthcare. Among the planned companies are NIO, Meituan, AgiBot, ABB Robotics, Tencent and United Imaging.

The initiative aims to provide participants with a practical view of the use of AI in the Chinese economy, through visits and contacts with companies that already apply these technologies in commercial and industrial operations.

The mission's programme includes various applications of artificial intelligence. In the field of mobility, participants will visit NIO, a Chinese electric vehicle company, while Meituan will allow them to observe the evolution of on-demand services and the use of robots and drones in deliveries.

AgiBot will be another point in the programme, focusing on humanoid robotics, while ABB Robotics represents the application of automation in industrial environments.

Tencent will provide insight into the digital ecosystem associated with WeChat, one of China's leading digital platforms. In healthcare, the visit to United Imaging will focus on medical imaging technologies and AI applications in the sector.

For Nuno Ribeiro, from Instinct, the objective of the initiative is to provide business leaders with a direct experience that allows them to better understand the technological transformation underway.

“We don't sell a trip. We sell a change of perspective,” he says, arguing that there is a difference between knowing information about artificial intelligence and directly observing the companies that are developing and applying these technologies.