On 16 June 2026, the EU SME Centre and the European Chamber organised a working group meeting on recent AI developments for European SMEs in Guangzhou. The event attracted more than 50 company representatives from a variety of industries in person, with over 20 additional participants joining online.
The event began with a visit to AI MoFac in Guangzhou’s Pazhou District, where local technology start-ups introduced their practice of integrating AI into their products and services. Demonstrations covered a wide range of applications, including humanoid robots, voice and facial recognition technologies, image generation tools, office software and AI-powered toys.
The visit was followed by a hybrid discussion on the opportunities and challenges AI presents for European SMEs operating in China. Fabian Blake, Chair of the European Chamber South China Board, and Ester Cañada Amela, Advocacy Manager of the EU SME Centre, delivered opening remarks.
Helika Juergenson, Project Manager of the SME IP Helpdesk, delivered a keynote presentation based on the Helpdesk’s recently published AI report. Through the report, she provided an overview of China’s evolving regulatory framework for AI, with a particular focus on IPR protection. Besides, she analysed recent legal cases and suggested some of the potential risks businesses may face when using AI tools. In conclusion, she shared practical consideration points that European SMEs should assess before integrating AI tools into their operations.
The event also featured a panel discussion on how companies across different sectors are using AI in practice. The panel brought together four business leaders to share their experiences, lessons learned and views on the future role of AI in business operations.
The meeting concluded with an exchange session with local AI companies.
