From July 19 to 23, 2026, the Los Angeles Convention Center played host to SIGGRAPH 2026, one of the world’s most prestigious gatherings for computer graphics and interactive technology. The event brought together thousands of researchers, engineers, artists, and industry leaders from across the globe, highlighting how cross-border collaboration is accelerating innovation at the intersection of computer graphics and artificial intelligence.
For many early-career researchers like Tan Shiyu, a graduate student from Tsinghua University, the conference marked a series of landmark firsts: his first trip outside China, his debut at a major international academic event, and his first chance to share his work on intelligent computer-aided design (CAD) generation with the field’s top global experts and industry representatives. Beyond advancing his own career trajectory, Tan came to the conference with clear goals: connect with global peers, absorb new perspectives, and showcase the cutting-edge work emerging from Chinese academic circles. “One of my main goals is to connect with people from different parts of the world and learn new things,” Tan shared. “I am very excited to meet researchers and discuss interesting topics such as generative AI. I also want to bring our work from Tsinghua University to the international community and communicate more with researchers around the world.” During his time at the event, he presented his research and held productive discussions with representatives from U.S. design software giant Autodesk on the future applications of generative AI technologies.
This year’s conference put a spotlight on a profound industry shift: computer graphics, long centered on creating visual effects for film, television, and gaming, has evolved into a foundational technology powering advanced fields ranging from robotics and industrial design to autonomous systems and digital twins. That transformation was the core focus of Nvidia’s widely anticipated keynote address, titled *Next Era of Graphics — Neural Rendering, World Models, and Simulation*. Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang traced the company’s 30-year evolution from a computer graphics pioneer to a leader in accelerated computing and artificial intelligence. “Thirty years ago, we set out to build a new kind of computer — one that could solve problems traditional computers simply could not,” Huang said. He noted that graphics processing units (GPUs), originally developed to advance computer graphics rendering, have since become transformative tools for science and engineering that laid the groundwork for modern AI — and that AI is now reshaping the future of graphics in turn. “We want the power of AI, but grounded in 3D, governed by physics and shapeable by creators,” Huang added.
Chinese researchers in attendance emphasized that China has become an increasingly influential contributor to the global advancements driving this industry transformation. Liu Libin, a professor at Peking University’s Institute for Artificial Intelligence, noted that Chinese scholars made up roughly half of all participants at a recent technical paper workshop associated with the conference. “That speaks volumes about China’s growing influence in this field,” Liu said. He added that Chinese scientists have made internationally recognized breakthroughs across key subfields, including rendering, physics-based simulation, digital manufacturing, generative AI, and 3D content creation. Even the sophisticated technologies behind the digital characters and immersive environments of blockbuster Hollywood films such as the *Avatar* franchise now count major development contributions from Chinese researchers and developers, he noted.
Beyond academic and industrial research, the conference also showcased how the combination of AI and interactive technology is opening new frontiers for artistic expression. The 2026 SIGGRAPH Art Gallery featured a curated collection of works exploring the dynamic relationships between technological systems, physical materials, time, space, and public engagement. “The idea is for artists, creators and technologists to present innovative uses of technology that challenge our understanding of how we use everyday technologies,” explained Everardo Reyes, chair of the Art Gallery.
One standout exhibit illustrated the power of global collaborative creativity firsthand. Created by the Critical Matter Group at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Media Lab, the interactive installation relied on a cross-border partnership with BrainCo, a leading neurotechnology company with major operations in Hangzhou, China. “We collaborate with BrainCo, which provides the necessary EEG hardware and software development kit to power the installation,” said Wang Ruipeng, one of the project’s lead researchers. “We are mainly responsible for the software and interaction.” The work demonstrates how combining specialized expertise and technologies from different countries can unlock entirely new forms of research and artistic innovation, Wang added.
While attendees acknowledged that China and the United States maintain healthy competition in developing AI, computer graphics, and other strategic technologies, most emphasized that open collaboration remains the cornerstone of meaningful progress. “There is certainly competition between China and the United States, but there is also extensive cooperation,” Liu said. “From an academic perspective, researchers place even greater value on collaboration. Science advances through the open exchange of ideas, and researchers on both sides continue to learn from one another and work together to push the boundaries of innovation.”
Julian Gomez, director of the Computer Graphics History Institute, echoed that sentiment. “My goal is to improve communication between people, and technology can help with that,” Gomez said. “I come from a science background where people collaborate and cooperate. If we could focus on doing science, all these ideas could be developed for the benefit of humanity.”