When AI meets edge computing, Advantech promotes the transformation of the embedded industry with Edge AI

In recent years, the development of technologies such as AI, IoT, and 5G, as well as the widespread deployment of smart terminal devices, has led to a geometric growth in the amount of data. As more and more application scenarios have put forward requirements for data transmission such as "low latency, large bandwidth, and large connections", edge computing has gradually moved to the "center" of the stage, bursting with greater energy. Gartner predicts that by 2025, approximately 75% of enterprises will process data at the edge outside of data centers or clouds.

As an embedded solution service provider in the field of industrial Internet of Things, Advantech has completed a comprehensive layout in the field of edge computing and can provide diversified solutions according to the control needs of different devices and scenarios. At the same time, Advantech uses the advanced processor cores of partners such as Intel, AMD, NXP, and Rockchip to empower various embedded and AIoT applications, opening up an important channel for industry development with AIoT+edge computing. Recently, Xu Jiehong, general manager of Advantech (China) Embedded Internet of Things Business Group, accepted an exclusive interview with the media and shared Advantech's thoughts on the industry layout and application of Edge AI at a time when AI is triggering the transformation of edge computing.

Edge AI keeps the business “flywheel” running

With the continuous evolution of generative AI, AI has gradually revealed great potential in all walks of life. Since the popularization of AI technology depends largely on large-scale cloud servers and high-performance computing power, this has limited the breadth and depth of AI applications to a certain extent. In this context, the development of Edge AI has become the key to industrial intelligence. When AI meets edge computing, Edge AI can help manufacturing companies reduce latency, enhance security and flexibility, and bring a new engine for industry change.

"Industrial sites have high requirements for stability and real-time performance, so it is impossible for companies to move all sites to the cloud. The implementation of AI technology in the industrial field will first ferment on the edge side." Xu Jiehong said that in the past few years, Advantech has actively promoted the layout and development of Edge AI. The company has launched a number of AI-related projects and investments, and each business group has continued to evolve in the direction of Edge AI. Since 2024, there has been a qualitative leap in the Internet of Things and Edge AI solutions.

For example, Advantech's WISE-AI Agent intelligent platform, which was launched at the 2004 Industrial Expo, accelerates AI application construction and innovation in a zero-code manner, accelerating the transition of industrial enterprises from digitalization to intelligence. Recently, Advantech and Phison Electronics jointly launched the industry's first hybrid AI training server, which provides enterprises with both economical and efficient Edge AI solutions with innovative design concepts, greatly reducing the threshold for enterprises to introduce AI technology.

Behind AI applications is often a competition of massive computing power. In response to different application requirements on the edge side, Advantech provides enterprises with diversified solutions, and helps Edge AI grow in the industry step by step: For applications with lower computing power requirements, Advantech provides software and hardware integration services on the ARM architecture. The built-in NPU reduces the cost of GPU cards, but requires users to have a certain programming and algorithm foundation, so software and hardware services will play a greater role; for mid-to-high-end inference applications, Advantech continues to improve its high-performance edge computing solutions by combining AMD's CPU processor technology, Xilinx's FPGA expertise and its own 40 years of experience in the embedded industry, and has developed a powerful product series that meets future customer needs and market trends, further optimizing the work efficiency of advanced computing applications. For example, customers can use AI acceleration modules to improve the computing power on the edge side.

Advantech Embedded is driving innovation in edge artificial intelligence and providing Edge AI intelligent computing solutions supported by NVIDIA, Intel, AMD, Qualcomm, Hailo, and NXP, including Edge AI systems, Edge AI software, and customized design assistance services, to help customers ensure edge computing power and data security, and migrate to the cloud in a lightweight manner, enabling enterprises to simplify operations and unlock new opportunities.

Launching an accelerator for ecological collaboration

In the process of promoting the development of AIoT+edge computing, Advantech has always focused on actively expanding the ecosystem. In addition to maintaining in-depth cooperation with NVIDIA, Intel, and AMD, domestic companies such as Huawei, Ascend, and SenseTime are also important ecological partners of Advantech, and the ecosystem continues to expand around the needs of industries and different applications.

Because Advantech clearly realizes that in addition to technological innovation, it is equally important to effectively apply these technologies to actual scenarios to solve actual business problems and create real value. In the big game of the Internet of Everything, if you want to diversify demands and services, it is difficult for any manufacturer to cover all scenarios on its own. "The biggest difficulty in the industrial field is that it is full of fragmented scenarios and diversified demands, and the core of Advantech's business lies in the focus on software and hardware overall solutions and platforms for vertical industries. For the rich terminal application needs, we hope to extend the boundaries of our capabilities through ecological cooperation." said Xu Jiehong.

Over the years, the value of Advantech's ecological cooperation has been continuously verified: on the one hand, Advantech and upstream and downstream companies have achieved continuous innovation in products and services and technological iteration; on the other hand, based on the in-depth exploration of actual business scenario needs through collaboration, it has also spawned more innovative services and applications, becoming an accelerator for industrial development.

Technical services cover deep-seated needs

Faced with the rise of hardware manufacturers and the continuous emergence of market challenges, Advantech is also facing new pressures. In response to market changes, Advantech will deepen its efforts in two directions: on the one hand, it will enhance the competitiveness of its own products in industries and applications and resolve customer pain points; on the other hand, it will continue to promote the integration and innovation of AI technology and the implementation of its applications to seize more new opportunities in industrial development.

In the fierce competition of coil price and coil quality, Xu Jiehong believes that "focusing on improving technical service capabilities is a key factor for enterprises to maintain their market position." For example, in the fields of medical care, humanoid robots, renewable energy, etc., AI is accelerating its penetration into the entire process of R&D design, production and manufacturing, sales and services, becoming the core driving force for improving efficiency, sustainability and safety. While AI technology empowers the industry, it also amplifies the complexity of application requirements. Manufacturing companies often need to integrate multiple processors such as CPU, DSP, FPGA, and even NPU to meet computing needs. From the construction of the Internet of Things architecture to the training architecture and algorithm selection of AI applications, from building hardware and software architecture to efficiently deploying trained models on edge devices, these links often require professional technical services to support them.

Xu Jiehong emphasized that in this era of industrial innovation driven by Edge AI, enterprises relying solely on hardware can no longer meet the market's demand for deep applications. To this end, Advantech uses technical services as an anchor for development, and is committed to providing customers with software and hardware integration solutions based on application needs, bringing more abundant added value. By accelerating the implementation of industry-driven and innovative solutions, Advantech uses the cutting-edge technology of Edge AI to promote the advancement of IoT technology, hoping to open up a broader development space for the industry in the future, and move towards a smarter, more efficient, and more sustainable development path together. (Contribution: Advantech Technology, Written by: IIANEWS)

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