Revolutionizing Airport Experience: Facial Recognition and NDP Impact

NEC's Core DX and Digital Platform Business Unit

• NEC is focusing on Core DX as part of its medium-term plan 2025, aiming to increase the number of DX human resources from 5,800 to 20,000 by 2025 through the addition of ABeam and global alliances. This will enable the development of a platform by utilizing NEC's technology vertically and horizontally.

• The CoreDX area alone is expected to have sales of 240 billion yen, contributing to around 15% of the IT services sales as a whole, which is a significant improvement from being in the red two years ago.

• NEC has been investing in the development of the NEC Digital Platform, which includes common technology bases and methodologies, and has expanded its focus to group companies, forming collaborations with leading companies such as ABeam, Microsoft AWS, and Oracle to strengthen the NDP through a global alliance.

• NEC has established the NEC Platform Digital Platform Business Unit, comprising over 30,000 engineers, to provide all of NEC's digital offerings from consulting to hardware, software, alliance delivery, and marketing, aiming to provide even stronger and more visible DX solutions.

• The NEC Digital Platform is positioned as a driving force within the company's medium-term plan, encompassing not only a common technology platform but also human resources knowledge and technology development, thereby supporting the transformation of organizational and human resources, customer experience, society, and business.

• Under the leadership of Mr. Yoshizaki, NEC's chief digital officer, the company is adapting to the changing environment post-coronavirus and focusing on the model, technology, and human resources, with efforts to understand and respond to DX challenges through direct customer interviews and surveys.

NEC's Core DX and Digital Platform Business Unit

Analysis of Business Model Evolution

• The speaker has been working on the same three business models for four years, focusing on development, sales strategy, and organizational capabilities.

• The company has experienced a significant increase in the number of consultants, from 10 to over 500, due to internal conversion and skill development.

• There is a plan to further expand the organization and aim for a team of 1000 people by 2025, involving both internal conversion and external hiring.

• The company has launched upstream consulting projects for 200 companies, focusing on technology and differentiation of consulting services.

• The speaker talked about the strategic shift towards process mining and how it will contribute to the company's growth and customer service offerings.

• The company is focusing on combining improvement with asset productivity, particularly by leveraging its IT and network experienced consultants.

• The speaker emphasized the rapid progression of technology through the integration of hardware, software, and networks, highlighting the importance of staying ahead in technological advancements.

Analysis of Business Model Evolution

Advancements in AI and Technology

• The rapid progress in three-dimensional lamination technology has resulted in highly advanced performance, particularly in the field of AI.

• The focus has shifted from traditional machine learning to deep learning, which involves new self-learning capabilities, leading to a significant leap in productivity.

• The introduction of 6G technology is expected to bring about a 100-fold increase in performance, leading to dramatic changes such as automation and a massive surge in data volume by 2025.

• NEC has made significant advancements in AI, particularly in developing a unique version of M that supports Japanese, forming global alliances with major tech companies, and establishing a team of 100 prompt engineers for specialized support.

• NEC's AI capabilities extend beyond language support and into security, with a focus on rapid response and recovery from external attacks, utilizing AI for diagnosis and defense.

• A customer example showcases NEC's development of AI applications for identity verification and IT management for homeless people in Hawaii, highlighting the broader social impact of AI technology.

Advancements in AI and Technology

Revolutionizing Airport Experience with Facial Recognition and NDP

• Microsoft is collaborating with the NDP (New Digital Platform) to roll out Micro, a system which utilizes facial recognition for a seamless airport experience across the United States.

• The implementation of NDP and biometric authentication at 80 locations has significantly streamlined airport processes, allowing passengers to check in, go through security, check baggage, and board the plane with minimal physical interaction and increased speed.

• The deployment of NDP has also attracted Theta, a global airport delivery company, to expand its services to 16 airports, with a focus on the United States.

• NEC, in collaboration with the Eye Digital Consortium, is emphasizing the convergence of IT and OT (Information Technology and Operational Technology) in the airport industry, aiming to enhance connectivity, compliance, and innovation through the digital twin concept.

• NEC's approach to IT and OT integration is based on global standards, with a focus on establishing a digital twin as its unique differentiator, and implementing various levels of digital twins, including visualization, AI modeling, and optimization.

Revolutionizing Airport Experience with Facial Recognition and NDP

The Future of Autonomous Forklifts and Digital Twins

• The recent announcement of an autonomous forklift demonstrates the advancement in autonomous transport control technology.

• The forklift operates using a digital twin routing model, allowing for autonomous movement and obstacle detection.

• NEC's involvement in the Digital Synchro Consortium and Digital Human Consortium reflects a global trend towards digital twins and the metaverse.

• NEC is actively working towards increasing its human resources, with a focus on cloud human resources, data, and scientist consultants.

• The company has invested in an educational system to train and develop human resources, focusing on digital transformation and innovation.

• NEC has seen a 140% increase in sales for its NDP offerings compared to the previous year, showcasing its strong performance in the market.

• The company aims to leverage digital twins and advanced technology to achieve overwhelming productivity and drive business model transformation.

The Future of Autonomous Forklifts and Digital Twins

Conclusion:

The collaboration between NEC, Microsoft, and NDP has redefined the airport experience, introducing seamless processes and enhanced security through the implementation of facial recognition technology, marking a significant advancement in digital transformation within the aviation industry.