Elon Musk expected to make speech at opening of Shanghai's World AI Conference

[July 03, 2024]  SHANGHAI (Reuters) - Elon Musk will be among the keynote speakers at the opening ceremony of the World AI Conference (WAIC) in Shanghai on Thursday, according to an agenda released in advance of the event. 

Tesla Inc CEO Elon Musk attends an opening ceremony for Tesla China-made Model Y program in Shanghai, China January 7, 2020. REUTERS/Aly Song/File Photo

The agenda did not specify whether Musk would appear in person or via video, but someone with knowledge of the matter said Musk was not expected to appear in person.

WAIC organizers did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Musk's attendance or keynote.

Other attendees slated to attend the opening include Chinese Premier Li Qiang, who is also expected to make a speech.

Musk and Li met in Beijing in April during the Tesla CEO's whirlwind trip to the capital.

That trip was an opportunity for Musk to discuss the rollout of Tesla's Full Self-Driving (FSD) software and data-transfer permissions, sources said at the time.

Musk is no stranger to WAIC and has provided video messages for the previous two editions of the event. He last appeared at the event in person in 2019.

Musk's speech will come on the same day as the EU is expected to impose preliminary tariffs on Chinese electric vehicle imports.

Tesla, the largest exporter of EVs from China to Europe, has requested that the Commission calculate a separate duty rate for it. It currently faces a 21% additional tariff as part of the group of companies that have cooperated with the investigation.

Tesla did not immediately reply to a Reuters request for comment.

(Reporting by Casey Hall; Editing by Kim Coghill)

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