BEIJING, March 10th (AMSP/CGTN) – –This year’s Government Work Report once again proposed advancing the “AI +” initiative. Reporter Zhu Zhu interviewed Dong Mingzhu, NPC Deputy and Chairperson of Gree. She said the manufacturing industry should increase its efforts in technological innovation.
“Manufacturing entities should make greater use of artificial intelligence to improve efficiency. Of course, this is a process, as it may also require significant investment. For example, in our unmanned factory, the workforce has been reduced from about 14,000 employees to just 2,000. The cost of paying those 12,000 employees used to be around 400 million dollars per year. Therefore, investing in an unmanned factory can actually recoup the equipment investment costs in about five years,” Dong Mingzhu pointed out
The NPC Deputy calls for companies to help workers adjust to intelligent transformation. “We have changed the way people work. In the past, frontline workers relied primarily on physical labor, but now, with artificial intelligence replacing those tasks, there is a need for people to operate and manage the technology behind it. As a result, we have focused more on training skilled workers and R&D personnel. We used to talk about “blue-collar” and “white-collar” workers, but honestly, I don’t really like these terms. As long as someone is part of the company, they are a valued member of the organization. While income may vary based on performance, everyone in the company deserves respect. Additionally, the company is making a strong effort to create as many jobs as possible because employment is a fundamental issue. Many products are now designed from the ground up, and companies must continuously innovate and develop new technologies,” she said.
Regarding the future green manufacturing trends, the NPC Deputy and Chairperson of Gree pointed out that the most important issue in the home appliance industry right now is prioritizing environmental protection.
“Take this year, for example—we had a meeting in Beijing, and it was so warm that we didn’t even need to wear heavy coats. Some people who are in good health could get by with just a light jacket. But I remember attending the same meeting here 20 years ago, and that year, it snowed twice. The effects of global warming are quite evident—we can all personally feel the changes. It’s just like how, 30 years ago, we never imagined that humans could go to space, but now, multiple people can travel there at the same time. That’s the power of technology. If there are products that are more environmentally friendly than air conditioners, then go innovate,” she said.
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