AI, GenAI next major game changers; will remain impactful: NTT executive

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.

The All-Photonics Network (APN), a core technology of IOWN that introduces photonics (optics)-based technology inside all information processing devices use light to transfer data via cables.

NTT has successfully established a 3,000-kilometre connection between Japan and Taiwan already, achieving an ultra-low latency of approximately 17 milliseconds.

"NTT researchers developed a lineup of on-site construction, maintenance and operation technologies essential for the commercial introduction of four-core multi-core optical fibre (MCF) optical transmission lines, which enable a single communication optical fibre to have four times the capacity of current optical fibres," NTT said in a statement.

This new system is set to revolutionise how data centres communicate with one another by using optical transmission lines that can handle four times the capacity of current optical fibres, the company said.

This means more data can be sent at once, which is crucial as the demand for data continues to grow rapidly.

"This achievement is expected to accelerate the practical application of four-core MCF optical transmission lines in inter-data centre optical communications. This is particularly relevant as the demand for optical fibre cores continues to grow exponentially, and in submarine optical transmission sections, where optical fibre mounting space in optical cables is limited," it said.

"By applying the four-core MCF to such areas, it is possible to flexibly respond to the demand for core wires in land-based systems and the demand for large capacity in subsea systems," it said.

The APN technology also addresses existing network issues, particularly in applications like cloud endoscopy systems.

By offloading heavy processing tasks to the cloud, NTT aims to enhance medical technologies and provide real-time remote diagnosis capabilities.

NTT invests $3.6 billion annually in its global scientific research and technology R&D initiatives.