The 30th Guangzhou International Lighting Exhibition (GILE) concluded on June 12, 2025, at the China Import and Export Fair Complex in Guangzhou. Under the theme “Light for Life” this milestone edition marked three decades of continuous innovation and integration in the lighting industry. Held concurrently with the Guangzhou Electrical Building Technology (GEBT), the exhibition attracted 211,173 visitors from 151 countries and regions, reinforcing its status as the leading global platform for cooperation and innovation in the lighting sector.
But beyond the numbers lies a more fundamental question: Can light make life better? Walking through the exhibition halls, the answer was clear. Light is no longer just about visibility, it has become about being seen, understood, and cared for. Lighting design is moving beyond mere function, evolving into a medium of visual expression and holistic well-being, enriching spaces with emotion and vitality.
Trend 1 | AI-Powered Lighting: Smarter, More Human-Centric
The integration of AI with lighting has transformed illumination from being simply “bright” into an intelligent interface that perceives, learns, and responds. Through voice commands, scene recognition, and advanced algorithms, lighting systems can now adapt color temperature, brightness, and circadian rhythms, becoming carriers of both emotional resonance and health benefits.
At GILE, Foshan Lighting(FSL) showcased its immersive Sky Dome Fantasy installation, blending AI-driven dynamic lighting with high-CRI natural light simulation for emotional and wellness needs. Its highlight product, Xuanjing Sky Screen, powered by a large AI model with a million-level scene database, allows users to generate personalized lightscapes via simple text or voice commands seamlessly adaptable from home to commercial spaces.
Holight introduced its Starlight AI Lighting Body, the industry’s first to integrate the DeepSeek AI model, enabling whole-home control without wiring, internet, or apps, relying solely on voice interaction while connecting with Huawei HarmonyOS. Pak combined AI with full-spectrum circadian lighting, unveiling a workplace solution that adjusts to occupancy levels, synchronizes with HVAC systems, and balances efficiency with wellness. Meanwhile, OML emphasized the commercial value of ambient lighting through its “Light and Shadow” installations, where sound and light merged to create immersive AI-driven atmospheres.
Trend 2 | Healthy Lighting: Wellness Begins with Light
As awareness grows around the impact of light on sleep, mood, and vision, healthy lighting has become a central trend. Beyond visibility, lighting now plays an active role in well-being from reducing eye strain and enhancing rest to supporting aging populations with safer environments. Low-blue-light sources, circadian lighting, and age-friendly designs are increasingly vital for both residential and healthcare markets.
Xuyu Optoelectronics introduced a golden low-blue-light LED with <0.1% blue content and adjustable 1800–2500K color temperature, ideal for night use to reduce sleep disruption. Ledestar showcased 27 patented biophotonic spectra, including the Sunset Spectrum at 1600K and a Moonlight Spectrum that aids relaxation and sleep.
Signify (Philips) presented its EnRui series, an age-friendly solution integrating adaptive lighting with TOF+radar detection for fall monitoring, seamlessly alerting caregivers in emergencies. Nationstar Optoelectronics addressed age-related vision decline with low-blue, high-red light sources that mitigate lens yellowing while enhancing visual clarity solidifying healthy lighting as both a social need and market opportunity.
Trend 3 | Sunlike Lighting: Bringing Nature Indoors
The pursuit of natural sunlight quality has driven lighting innovation toward broader color temperature ranges, higher CRI values, and dynamic spectrum control. Sunlike lighting aligns with circadian rhythms, supports better sleep, and restores the authentic colors of objects, a critical factor in museums, retail, and design spaces where authenticity and experience matter most.
Xuyu Optoelectronics applied multi-band full-spectrum LEDs to replicate natural light while supporting dynamic dimming and smart control. inSona’s “Guang Yin” ceiling series integrated its proprietary ADL Super Spectrum Algorithm, simulating natural daylight cycles across four modes: Seasons, Aurora, Day-Night, and Circadian, controllable via an intuitive app.
Meanwhile, LTECH Smart Home partnered with Qibo to present a “Light Corridor,” powered by RGBCW spectrum technology with 1000–20000K tuning and millisecond-level transitions, achieving professional DMX512-level effects. Beyond entertainment, this technology caters to medical and elderly care environments, bringing artificial lighting ever closer to the spectral qualities of the sun.
Written by: Lee Khe Ying
Images courtesy of Guangzhou Guangya Messe Frankfurt Co., Ltd. / Guangzhou International Lighting Exhibition
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