At DATA Night, AI experiences a five-senses revolution

Sight, hearing, smell, touch, and motor skills—these are the cornerstones of human perception. As AI technology evolves, it, too, is building its own expanding set of digital "senses." At the 2026 China International Big Data Industry Expo held in Guiyang, capital of southwest China's Guizhou Province, Andrew Smith from the U.S.—gives you an up-close look at these emerging sensory technologies and shows how AI is forging a more direct connection with the physical world, sense by sense.

Inside the DATA Night exhibition hall, smart glasses give AI richer visual interactions. Acoustic algorithms allow machines to decode sounds such as thunder and earthquakes. Olfactory modules can enable robots detect gas leaks and food spoilage. Tactile sensors and data gloves allow AI to gauge force, direction, and motion. Finally, embodied intelligence drives robots toward ever-greater precision in movement and operation.

AI is moving beyond mere data processing: from seeing, hearing, smelling, and touching to autonomous movement, it is gradually learning to perceive—and truly understand—our physical world.