NTT Unveils AI Cloud Solution Amid Global Tech Shifts
The telecommunications sector in Japan faces substantial changes as AI shifts towards being harnessed for more individual, industry-specific applications.
Alongside this, technological decoupling between the People’s Republic of China and Western nations means countries like Japan are having to develop robust technology that is independent.
Such an environment has prompted NTT, Japan's primary telecommunications provider, to develop targeted solutions for enterprise customers through its Industry AI Cloud initiative.
At the company’s annual R&D Forum in Tokyo, NTT President and CEO Akira Shimada presented the company's strategy for this shared platform, which aims to structure industry expertise into digital formats.
“By accumulating data across companies on a shared platform and leveraging AI, industries can collectively address societal challenges and contribute to their resolution,” he shared. “We call this the Industry AI Cloud and NTT is actively collaborating across various industries to realise this vision with partners,” says Akira.
“AI has already been widely adopted to streamline general operations, but applying AI to more specialised tasks can significantly enhance added value.”
NTT partners with Toyota for mobility applications
These developments are occurring against a background of 5G network deployment, which has created opportunities for edge computing applications that process data closer to its source, reducing transmission delays.
In response, the initiative has been formed by NTT as part of Japan’s Society 5.0 programme, which is designed to connect economic development with social requirements. Currently, the country is faced with an ageing population and a shortage of Labour, which is accelerating the need for automated and AI-driven solutions.
NTT has established a partnership with Toyota Motor Corporation, Japan's largest automotive manufacturer, to develop what it refers to as a "Mobility AI Platform". This system is designed to target the reduction of traffic incidents through AI applications.
The shift towards industry-specific AI applications represents a change from general-purpose systems, enabling focused development for particular sectors.
Advances optical network development
The Industry AI Cloud operates on NTT's Innovative Optical and Wireless Network (IOWN), a communications infrastructure system that utilises photonic technology for data transmission.
NTT demonstrated IOWN's capabilities through an international connection with Chunghwa Telecom, Taiwan's largest telecommunications provider. The system enabled a virtual reality demonstration between Tokyo and Taipei, allowing users to share virtual spaces and interact during performances.
The connection follows an agreement between NTT and Chunghwa Telecom in October 2023 to advance IOWN technology, with the international connection established in August 2024.
“Annual events such as the NTT R&D Forum in Tokyo and NTT Research Upgrade near Silicon Valley offer a first-hand look at the future of technological innovation while fostering vital conversations on how to harness that innovation to create a better future for all,” highlights Katsuhiko Kawazoe, Senior Vice President, Chief Technology Officer, Chief Information Officer and Chief Digital Officer of NTT.
Likewise, when it comes to networking infrastructure, NTT researchers have developed a four-core optical fibre cable that quadruples the capacity of existing optical fibres. The technology aims to address increasing bandwidth requirements for data centre communications and submarine cable systems, particularly as the use of digital services continues to boom.
These developments ultimately form part of NTT's response to increasing demands for sustainable digital infrastructure, as data processing and transmission requirements grow globally.
Katsuhiko says: “NTT's dedication to global R&D investment provides a unique competitive advantage as we work not only to improve society through technological innovation today but also pre-emptively solve the problems of the next decade and the next half-century.”
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