Turning breakthrough concepts into solutions that can be widely deployed

Innovating at scale has overtaken technological breakthroughs as the defining theme at this year's Summer Davos, with company executives and industry experts pointing to China as a leading example of how artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies are moving rapidly from laboratories into factories and the wider economy.

Innovating at scale means turning breakthrough technologies from laboratory prototypes or pilot projects into products and services that can be deployed widely across industries and society. It is not just about inventing new technologies, but about commercializing, manufacturing and adopting them at a scale that creates lasting economic and social impact, industry experts said.

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Zhou Yuxiang, CEO of manufacturing software company Black Lake, said: "Last year and the year before, discussions around frontier technologies were still largely at the conceptual or laboratory stage. This year, we're seeing innovation being deployed at scale and at an accelerating pace."

China's manufacturing sector is already translating that momentum into business. AI-related products now account for about half of Black Lake's revenue, a sharp increase from last year, Zhou said.

"Chinese manufacturers are making purchasing decisions on AI agents much faster than before. We expect AI penetration in Chinese factories to rise significantly over the next three to four years."

Henry Wang, Herbalife's chief legal and public affairs officer, said he was particularly pleased to see innovating at scale moving beyond concepts and accelerating from ideas into industrial realities.

"Technology is emerging as a critical force to drive the scaled deployment of innovation. Herbalife's global development path, encompassing its journey in China, closely aligns with this trajectory," he said.

"Looking ahead, Herbalife will continue to tangibly improve health and wellness accessibility in China, and create replicable, scalable health solutions, contributing its expertise and innovative practice to the advancement of the Healthy China initiative," he emphasized.

The industrialization of new technologies is also showing up in China's trade data. During the first five months of the year, both exports and imports posted double-digit growth, supported by strong demand for products tied to AI and digital infrastructure investment.

Zou Jun, chairman of KPMG China, said: "China has been actively promoting the commercialization of technological achievements." He pointed to government-backed pilot manufacturing platforms designed to bridge the gap between research and industrial production.

Those efforts are helping accelerate the commercialization of emerging industries ranging from humanoid robots to the low-altitude economy, he said.

Wu Chun, managing director at Boston Consulting Group China, said the country's policy support, vast application scenarios, engineering talent and manufacturing capabilities together provide unusually favorable conditions for scaling AI.

"China has the comprehensive conditions needed to rapidly commercialize AI technologies," he said.

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The 17th Annual Meeting of the New Champions of the World Economic Forum, which ended on Thursday in Dalian, Liaoning province, underscored the broader shift with the release of its top 10 emerging technologies, which highlighted technologies expected to reshape industries over the next five years, including interconnected power grids, direct lithium extraction, quantum-enabled drug discovery, precision fermentation and personalized mRNA cancer vaccines.

Luigi Gambardella, president of ChinaEU, a Brussels-based nonprofit international association that promotes Sino-European business cooperation in the digital sector, said the challenge facing governments and businesses is no longer inventing technologies but turning them into productivity gains.

"China offers an important example because it has the capability to rapidly scale innovation," he said.

Contact the writers at chengyu@chinadaily.com.cn