SHENZHEN – Huawei Technologies Co. launched its annual Huawei Analyst Summit 2019 with a presentation by Ken Hu, who outlined Huawei’s vision for a fully-digital, information-driven world.
In today’s digital age, consumers are immersed in a world of information. But while the volume of data has increased, their relevance still needs improvement. In other words, not all critical information is delivered to them under ideal situations. Hu outlines Huawei’s goal of creating a zero search environment where no one would need physical contact to gather the information they need.
“The intelligent world is coming much faster than we expect, the intelligent world is here already, we can touch it,” said Hu. “As consumers, we’ve all had experience with searching, but it takes time and effort.”
In Hu’s ideal Zero Search World, Zero Search would completely eliminate physical input. There would be no remote, no buttons, and no dials. All information would be delivered to the user before they search.
Achieving this requires advancement from all of Huawei’s verticals, calling for innovations in data analysis using AI, data transport, and new hardware for local processing, at the edge, and in the cloud. At the centre of these points is the 5G; a paramount focus for Huawei.
As the biggest network upgrade in decades, 5G carries an array of technology breakthroughs that will deliver higher bandwidth and enable new use cases. It’s the fastest network standard to ever be adopted. Hu highlighted that it took 10 years for 3G to break 10 million users, but for 5G, that number is expected to be just three years. By 2025, Huawei foresees 6.5 million base stations delivering data to 2.8 billion users.
In the enterprise, 5G will be a driving force to power cloud computing, both public and private. By 2025, 97 per cent of big enterprises will use AI, and 77 per cent of apps will use the cloud.
For a real-world example of how 5G network can be used in the enterprise, Hu described a scenario where the high bandwidth of wireless 5G networks can replace fibre optic cables in sports broadcasting, enabling the cameraman to attack the program using more creative angles without having to worry about the cord.
Hu’s example implies another advantage of 5G – the ability to deliver data to areas traditionally constrained by throughput and location. High over-the-air bandwidth and the ability to handle a massive number of devices open the door for richer data analysis.
Virtually every telecommunication technologist understands this. And for Huawei, it’s corrugating its data analysis under super sight, which is to inspect and interpret data without any barrier. Everyone will be able to see things they aren’t able to before through VR and AR, which is useful for education and entertainment. Its usefulness also extends into critical operations. Combined with AI, these technologies can warn city workers of impending floods, or help doctors accurately diagnose diseases.
A short video laced between slides showed how sensors and the 5G network are helping researchers gather data on spider monkeys – an important part of the rainforest ecosystem – as well as to detect the sound of illegal loggers while alerting park rangers in Costa Rica.
In China, Huawei’s AI cloud solutions have reduced traffic wait time in Shenzhen by 17 per cent.
Shifting the focus from enterprise to consumers, Hu states that a consumer’s experience today is too fragmented and divided. There are simply too many devices to juggle around.
“Are you happy with that? How’s the digital experience?” Hu asked rhetorically. “From my perspective, the digital experience we have today is not as pleasant as we want. Because we’ve got too many smart devices. We have to switch between different devices and different activities all the time. The experience is just too fragmented.”
To solve this issue, Huawei plans on more tightly linking its services to end user’s devices through AI. It compartmentalized the optimization stage into HiLink, Huawei’s unifying platform for smart devices, and its Micro services ecosystem. Through everyday use, HiAI will analyze a user’s behaviour and deliver more relevant services to that user in a never-ending feedback cycle.
Improving data relevancy is great for users who already have access to an established network, but what about those who don’t?Huawei estimates that 50 per cent of the world still doesn’t have access to a proper network, and 43 per cent of the EU population lack basic digital literacy. Bringing accessible, strong networks to everyone is paramount for Huawei. In addition, applications need to be easier to use, and proper education is required to establish a baseline digital competency.
In an on-going effort to address these issues, Huawei is currently commanding the Tech4All initiative to help users reap the benefits of a modern network.