Tech Empowers Urban Governance: 2025 Shenzhen International AI Sanitation Robot Competition Set to Kick Off

When cutting-edge AI technology meets urban environmental sanitation management, a wave of technological innovation is set to unfold!

A landmark AI event focused on modernizing urban management—the 2025 Shenzhen International Artificial Intelligence Sanitation Robot Competition cum Application Innovation Competition—will be held at Shenzhen Institute of Information Technology from 26th - 29th , November.

Co-organized by multiple Shenzhen municipal departments, including the Urban Management and Comprehensive Law Enforcement Bureau, Industry and Information Technology Bureau, Science Technology and Innovation Bureau, Transport Bureau, SME Service Bureau, and Longgang District People's Government, this international competition aims to establish a global platform for exchange and cooperation. It will drive the deep integration of AI and the sanitation industry, showcase how AI is reshaping urban sanitation, empower the innovation ecosystem of the sanitation sector, and accelerate the formation of new quality productive forces within the industry. As a key component of the "Community Steward" track under China Media Group's "Embracing the Future – Nanny Robot Conference," the event highlights the remarkable achievements of smart city. To amplify its reach, the competition will be broadcast live by CMG New Media Centre.

Next-Gen Tech for Urban Sanitation

With rapid urbanization, the demand for city cleaning continues to grow, while traditional sanitation models face challenges in efficiency, human resources, andmanagement. The rapid advancement of AI technology offers new perspectives and solutions to these challenges.

The competition will categorize events based on three real-world urban scenarios: parks & plazas, pedestrian & non-motorized vehicle lanes, and service lanes. It will comprehensively evaluate the safety, performance, and effectiveness of sanitation robots. Considering practical operational needs, the assessment will cover road stability, cleaning quality compliance rate, environmental perception accuracy, equipment safety protection level, and additional innovative functions. The goal is to identify high-quality AI-powered sanitation robots that can be verified by governments and enterprises through on-site inspections, validated by on-site sanitation workers in practice, and ultimately accepted by the public for their real-world environmental impact.

Notably, the competition features a unique format combining "Closed Sessions" and "Open Sessions." The Closed Sessions (26th - 27th, November) will employ strict measures like physical isolation and signal jamming to rigorously test the equipment's capability for fully autonomous operation without human intervention. The Open Sessions (28th - 29th , November) will be accessible to the public, allowing public to witness the exceptional performance of these AI sanitation robots firsthand. This dual-structure of "closed performance testing + public effectiveness demonstration" ensures both scientific rigor and public engagement.

From Lab to Life: AI for Public Benefit

In August 2025, the State Council released the Opinions of the State Council on Deeply Implementing the 'AI Plus' Action, emphasizing the creation of a higher quality of life and pioneering a new vision of human-machine coexistence in social governance. The public holds growing expectations for AI's role in enhancing future living standards, eagerly anticipating more innovations that benefit daily life.

In recent years, Shenzhen has been positioning itself as a pioneer in artificial intelligence. The city is weaving "AI Plus" applications into every facet of its development—from urban governance to industrial upgrading—and leveraging competitions as proving grounds for real-world technological iteration.

Acting as an "accelerator" for the application and advancement of AI sanitation robotics, this competition will not only showcase the latest explorations in AI for urban management but also expand the imagination for smart city scenarios, making a better quality of life within reach.

From labs to city, from individual "unicorn" robots to coordinated clusters of sanitation robots, the process of smart city is becoming increasingly intertwined with the well-being of residents. The competition features specialized contests and scenario innovation projects. Starting from diverse and complex real-world environments encountered by citizens—such as "landscaped areas,""urban streets,""damp and rainy conditions," and "unmanned operation scenarios"—it will test the applicability, operational stability, technological advancement, practical effectiveness, functional scalability, and unique features of the competing AI sanitation robots. It also aims to share these cutting-edge technological achievements with the public, highlighting the sense of happiness brought by technological progress.

During the event, the Shenzhen World Exhibition & Convention Center will concurrently host the 2025 Shenzhen International Urban Environment Industry Expo, creating a synergistic "competition + exhibition" effect. This provides a window for citizens to learn about frontier AI applications up close. Visitors can experience how AI sanitation robots operate efficiently and harmoniously within the urban environment, sensing the convenience and improvement technology brings to daily life.