ITPO Shanghai attends Huawei 5.5G Expert Seminar

On January 22, 2024, China's telecom company, Huawei, organized a seminar in its Beijing exhibition hall under the theme of “From Insight to Impact: Progress, Challenges and the Way Forward for 5G Advanced”. The event brought together industrial officials and experts to explore the impact of 5G-Advanced technology on digital transformation, its significance for modern society, and where China stands. Ms. Zhao Xiaolei, Head of UNIDO ITPO Shanghai, Dr. Ömer Ganiyusufoglu, Academician from the German National Academy of Science and Engineering, and Dr. Boy Lüthje, Senior Research Fellow at the Frankfurt Institute of Social Research, were invited to participate in the panel session.

5G-Advanced (also known as 5G-A or 5.5G) represents a significant enhancement and extension of the existing fifth-generation mobile communication technology, 5G. In contrast to traditional 5G, 5G Advanced is dedicated to delivering superior performance, broader coverage, lower latency, and enhanced connectivity, addressing the evolving requirements of intelligent industries and connectivity. In 2023, Huawei unveiled a groundbreaking achievement – the world's first 5.5G product solution. This innovative solution resulted in a tenfold improvement in network capabilities, such as data transmission speed and latency, accompanied by a tenfold reduction in energy consumption. This development optimizes spectrum, energy, and operational efficiency, significantly fortifying the broadband, ubiquitous, green, and intelligent capabilities of communication technology.

During the seminar, Ms. Zhao Xiaolei characterized digitalization as a potential game changer for industries in developing countries, in line with the UNIDO's mandate. She underscored, however, that the power of digitalization would be limited without connectivity, citing statistics that reveal a significant digital divide, particularly in developing and least developed countries, due to inadequate basic infrastructure and low rates of technology adoption. That's why UNIDO, together with partners from the private sector, advocates for increased collaboration to facilitate the easy access for companies, social endeavors, and individuals to the digital world. The importance of 5G and 5.5G technologies for universal connectivity was evident. With this connected approach, Ms. Zhao advocated for global partnerships and cooperation.

In the Q&A session, a reporter from CNBC inquired about the support that Chinese Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) could receive in the adoption of 5G and further digitization. In response, Ms. Zhao Xiaolei pointed out that in China, over 90% of private enterprises fall into the SMEs category, with a mere average lifespan of 3.5 years. These SMEs encounter policy, financial, and technology accessibility constraints. To address these challenges, China is committed to fostering a favorable business environment, enhancing the competitiveness of SMEs in the global market. The country encourages SMEs to invest in the research and development of new technology. Financial support is readily available through various funds. Notably, there is a growing trend of collaboration between large corporations and SMEs in the technology sector. UNIDO ITPO Shanghai, in collaboration with partners from both the public and private sectors, actively participates in platform leveraging and capacity-building initiatives to promote the development of SMEs and contribute to the overall prosperity of China's economy.

At the Sixth World Artificial Intelligence Conference (WAIC), UNIDO officially launched the "Global Alliance on Artificial Intelligence for Industry and Manufacturing" (AIM-Global), with Huawei participating as one of the initial partners. Since then, Huawei has been actively supporting AIM-Global with its industrial studies, insights, and global network of experts. UNIDO ITPO Shanghai has provided support to WAIC for six consecutive years and has engaged in collaborative exchanges with key partners like Huawei multiple times. Led by UNIDO, AIM Global will integrate public and private partners to foster the use of and innovation around AI in industry and manufacturing. Together, they exchange knowledge, share best practices, and establish strategic partnerships, allowing technological innovation and productivity development to effectively address societal challenges across the entire industrial sector.

AIM-Global is a groundbreaking collaboration platform designed to bring together governments, international organizations, and the private sector and industry leaders who recognize the transformative potential of AI in driving inclusive and sustainable industrial development. By uniting global stakeholders under a common vision, AIM-Global seeks to shape the future of AI while ensuring that ethical considerations, human-centricity, and sustainability remain at the forefront of technological advancements.

Government organizations, private companies, and academic institutions can join the Alliance by declaring readiness to join the Alliance and the UNIDO AIM Global Principles for Responsible Al in Industry through this e-mail address: itpo.shanghai@unido.org