Ulsan World Future Industry Expo (WAVE 2026) to open Sept. 10

Ulsan will host the third Ulsan World Future Industry Expo (WAVE 2026) from Thursday through Saturday at the Ulsan Exhibition and Convention Center (UECO), showcasing how AI and digital technologies are being integrated into the city's core industries — automobiles, shipbuilding, petrochemicals and energy.

This year's event is organized around four exhibition themes: AI and digital innovation, future mobility, shipbuilding and defense and advanced materials, and clean energy and carbon neutrality. Visitors will be able to see firsthand how AI is being applied on the industrial floor and what changes it is driving.

The expo is expected to offer a close look at Ulsan's ongoing "industrial AI transformation (AX)" initiative, which connects the city's existing industries with AI, robotics, data, digital twins and intelligent manufacturing technologies.

Displays will be designed to make the mechanics of industrial AX easy to understand, covering AI technologies that collect and analyze manufacturing process data to improve quality and productivity, intelligent safety solutions for workers, and automation technologies based on robotics, computer vision and digital twins.

A series of professional programs will address trends in future industries. Scheduled forums and conferences include an AI industry development conference, the U-Battery Tech+ Forum, the sixth Ulsan International Hydrogen Energy Forum and the 2026 SK Group Ulsan Forum, all covering industrial and technology trends as well as policy directions.

The expo will also feature the Ulsan Robot Competition and a battery industry job fair, giving young people opportunities to explore future technologies and career paths.