ABB chief pitches for using AI for efficient port operations

The Swiss technology and automation major ABB said Wednesday that autonomous shipping and docking will play a crucial role for the country to meet its export ambitions. The government had in 2017 set a USD 900-billion merchandise export target for 2020 but since then it has been revised down to USD 400 billion. For the current fiscal the same is targeted at USD 325 billion, which, if attained, will be the highest ever after the USD 313-billion record notched up in FY14 since when it has been falling.

"Autonomous shipping and autonomous docking can drive productivity and safety at ports in a remarkable way. To achieve the ambitious export target, India needs to improve the port operations," ABB chief executive Ulrich Spiesshofer said at the annual Nasscom leadership. Having autonomous shipping and autonomous docking, especially port operations, will give a competitive edge for players to other countries, Spiesshofer said, adding his company already has the capabilities for this and is the first and foremost in this.

He said artificial intelligence (AI) offers tremendous potential to drive autonomous operations and that "AI is becoming better for all our business activities." He also said the common perception of robots leading to unemployment is untrue. "The biggest misunderstanding is that people think is that robots kill jobs, quite the opposite is true. Countries with the highest growth or density have the lowest unemployment rate because the output is the most productive," he said.

Later in the day, he met Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis and discussed possibilities of deploying digitalisation technologies to meet the state's requirements, including using AI to take skills development to the next level and e-mobility.

"Maharashtra has been a forerunner in AI in India and ABB, as a pioneering technology leader in digital industries, is ready to support it in developing its digital economy. By rapidly adopting advanced technologies, the state can expand its role as an export hub and strengthen the country's competitive position in global markets," he was quoted as saying in a statement issued by the company. He claimed that one in two cars manufactured in the auto hub of Pune has ABB automation and robotics involved in its processes.