AI, GenAI Next Major Game Changers: NTT Exec

Tokyo: Artificial Intelligence and GenAI are poised to be a major "game changer" for society, a senior official of Japan's NTT has said, adding that the technology, which is attracting big investments and global attention, will prove to be "ubiquitous and impactful" in the coming times. Sean Lawrence, vice president and head of the IOWN Development Office at NTT, said AI is being used far more widely than what is perceived by many.

"We're not even going to know always that we're interacting with AI, but I think it is going to be really the next really big game changer in terms of technology for society," he said. Lawrence said AI will be powerful and ubiquitous. "... AI really is going to be very impactful for society. I think we're already using it a lot more than we realise for many people, but with the kind of maturation of AI, generative AI over the past few years, and you can see where it's going with the amount of investment and focus on it, it is going to become quite ubiquitous," he said.

Tokyo-headquartered NTT has developed a technology that significantly reduces the time required for data transfer between data centres, enhancing efficiency in the process. During its 2024 R&D Forum, it showcased Innovative Optical and Wireless Network (IOWN), a forward-looking platform designed to transform communications infrastructure. It leverages photonic technology to deliver ultra-high capacity, ultra-low latency, and ultra-low power consumption, paving the way for the future of connectivity, and enabling faster and more reliable data transmission.