High-speed transmission, wide coverage and low latency of 5G technology are expected to be integrated with AI cloud computing platforms and edge computing architecture for application to smart city, transportation, medical care and manufacturing in 2020, a consensus from experts attending a seminar jointly hosted by Monte Jade Science & Technology Association of Taiwan (MJSTA Taiwan) and Digitimes.
South Korea is the first country to start 5G commercial operation around the world, with the number of 5G users reaching nearly 3.5 million as of the end of September 2019, exceeding the originally estimated two million for the end of the year - a sign that global commercial use of 5G will take off in 2020.
5G and AI are not two unrelated technology sectors, as they capitalize on each other's technological features to create synergy, MJSTA Taiwan chairwoman Lee Jih-chu said in her speech at the seminar.
Based on Taiwan's technological strength in ICT and semiconductor, Taiwan-based enterprises stand a good chance of sharing "5GxAI" business opportunities, Lee noted. However, Taiwanese enterprises have to cope with unfavorable factors concerning trade protectionism arising from anti-globalization in some developed countries, and MJSTA will help them enhance their international competitiveness, Lee indicated.
MJSTA Taiwan is a comprehensive science & technology platform headquartered in Taiwan and has 16 overseas branches, Lee said.
Drastic changes in the industrial structure caused by AI and cloud computing, and global impacts from the US-China trade disputes give Taiwan-based enterprises good opportunities, but the problem is whether they can capitalize on the opportunities, said Digitimes president Colley Hwang at the seminar.
For 5GxAI in particular, Taiwan-based enterprises have technological advantages supporting their international competitiveness, Hwang noted.
As each area of 5G or AI application, such as medical care and transportation, involves intensive domain knowledge, applications should be based on DFSI (domain focus system integration) concept, Hwang indicated.
JMSTA Taiwan chairwoman Lee Jih-chu
Digitimes president Colley Hwang
Photos: Digitimes staff, December 2019