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The Future of Industry: AI, Digitalization, and How Huawei is Leading the Charge
Let’s talk about the elephant in the room: everyone’s buzzing about AI. But how many of us truly know what that means for industries and businesses trying to keep pace with this rapid digital transformation?
Spoiler alert: it's a big deal. And if you're still on the fence about it, let me walk you through Huawei Connect 2024 in Shanghai, where the industry's top minds discussed the future of AI, digitalization, and how industries are transforming into intelligent ecosystems.
AI Strategy: Full Steam Ahead
Eric Xu, Huawei's Deputy Chairman, shared in his keynote how Huawei’s AI strategy, known as the All-Intelligence Strategy, is accelerating the intelligent transformation across industries. No longer a novelty, AI is reshaping how businesses develop products, engage with customers, and optimize operations. In fact, AI has become the core driver of intelligent transformation across industries like manufacturing, finance, transportation, and energy.
Eric Xu, Huawei's Deputy Chairman and Rotating Chairman, speaking at Huawei Connect 2024
Xu laid out Huawei’s “six A’s” vision for intelligent enterprises, focusing on Adaptive User Experience, Auto-Evolving Products, Autonomous Operations, Augmented Workforce, All-Connected Resources, and AI-Native Infrastructure. These pillars represent the essential building blocks for any company looking to compete in the AI-driven world.
Huawei's message was clear: the future isn’t just about adopting AI tools—it's about crafting a strategy where AI drives every aspect of your business. And with their solutions, Huawei is making sure that industries, regardless of size, can jump onto this fast-moving train without needing an army of data scientists.
Amplifying Digitalization: Reports That Shape the Future
Another highlight from Huawei Connect 2024 was the release of important reports that forecast how digitalization will shape the global economy.
Exploring the Intelligent World: Huawei released its Intelligent World 2030 series reports, which provide a comprehensive look at the future digital economy. These reports highlight how ICT (Information and Communication Technology) will continue to play a critical role in boosting industries' productivity. Huawei's research forecasts that by 2023 there will be 864 ZFLOPS of AI computing power (FP16), a 4,000-fold increase over 2020 —a massive improvement in AI raw power that will change the world forever and drive us further towards AGI.
Amplifying Industrial Digitalization & Intelligence Practice White Paper: As mentioned earlier, this white paper serves as a guide for companies embarking on their digital and intelligent transformation journeys. It’s packed with 100 case studies across industries like public services, finance, manufacturing, and transportation. Huawei's vision here is clear: the future of business isn't just about automation—it's about creating intelligent ecosystems that thrive on data and AI.
Global Digitalization Index (GDI): Building on Huawei's previous Global Connectivity Index (GCI), the GDI goes a step further, measuring the value of a country’s ICT investments and their impact on national economies. According to the research, $1 invested in ICT generates $8.3 in returns for the digital economy, a strong case for governments and businesses alike to continue investing in their digital infrastructures. Huawei is also pushing forward with its plan to cultivate over 10 million digital and intelligent professionals by 2030, ensuring the next generation of talent is prepared to lead this transformation.
Case Studies: AI Transformation in Action
Huawei's Amplifying Industrial Digitalization & Intelligence Practice White Paper presented at the event features 100 case studies across more than 20 industries, showing real-world examples of how AI is already revolutionizing sectors like steelmaking, oil and gas exploration, and mining.
Let’s talk specifics: Xiangtan Iron & Steel Group is using AI models to optimize their crane scheduling systems. Gone are the days of waiting hours to move steel. Now, their system analyzes real-time data and updates every 30 minutes, helping even inexperienced workers achieve results that used to require years of experience. This kind of AI-driven automation has reduced energy consumption and improved production efficiency. No magic, just smart AI-powered transformation.
In the mining industry, Huawei has worked with partners to develop autonomous driving trucks for challenging environments like the Yunnan Plateau. By using AI and 5G, these massive trucks can handle rugged terrain, ensuring safety and increasing operational efficiency. In an industry where recruiting human drivers is tough, AI is stepping in to provide a much-needed solution.
Deep-diving how smart transportation is transforming railways through innovation, specifically by upgrading communication and security systems. The Global System for Mobile Communications – Railway (GSM-R), used for over two decades, is now outdated. To address this, the International Union of Railways (UIC) introduced the Future Railway Mobile Communication System (FRMCS) in 2012, which offers better bandwidth, faster communication, and improved connectivity.
A key case study highlights Mozambique’s Ports and Railways (CFM) working with Huawei to implement an FRMCS-based LTE solution, improving real-time updates, scheduling, and safety. This resulted in a significant increase in freight movement and better safety for railway personnel.
In South Africa, the Passenger Rail Agency (PRASA) partnered with Huawei to adopt innovative fiber sensing and AI-powered security systems to combat issues like theft and illegal railway occupation.
These technologies have been proven to enhance safety, operational efficiency, and economic growth, setting new standards for modern railway systems globally.
AI for Every Business
It’s easy to think that AI is just for large corporations with deep pockets, but Huawei's solutions are making it possible for companies of all sizes to benefit. Midea, one of the world’s largest home appliance manufacturers, has leveraged Huawei’s 5G and AI technologies to create a fully automated production line.
The results? A 30% reduction in labor costs per unit, and a system so efficient that it can produce a washing machine in 15 seconds. Talk about smart manufacturing.
Even Kweichow Moutai, China’s most famous liquor brand, is using Huawei's AI-powered solutions to monitor and optimize its supply chain and production processes. By integrating AI, 5G, and cloud computing, Moutai ensures quality control in every stage of production, even during the decades-long aging process.
What’s Next for AI and Digitalization?
The future is clear: industries that embrace intelligent transformation are poised for exponential growth, while those that resist will be left behind. Huawei is at the forefront, not just providing the technology but also offering a clear path forward with their cloud services, AI solutions, and strategic reports.
If you’re still sitting on the sidelines, wondering if it’s time to embrace AI, let me leave you with this: the ROI on ICT investments is undeniable, and the transformation is already happening across industries. Whether it's autonomous trucks in the mining sector, AI-driven steel production, or 5G-powered home appliance manufacturing, the time to act is now.
So, what’s stopping you? If you need help navigating this transformation, I’m here, and so is IAC.AI—ready to help you turn your digital dreams into reality. Let’s get intelligent and start building the future today.
OG