Upper gastrointestinal endoscopy remains the gold standard for diagnosing esophageal cancer. The accuracy of endoscopy results largely depends on the expertise of the examiner. Artificial intelligence (AI) applied in early screening for esophageal cancer has shown advantages. Remarkably, it is more accurate than less experienced endoscopists. This paper evaluates the application of artificial intelligence in the field of endoscopic early detection of esophageal cancers, including squamous cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma, and describes related advances.