This Spring Festival, China uses AI, 5G to ensure happy travels for all

CHINA has a stellar reputation for its agility in leveraging new technologies, and this is not without reason.

Over and over, it has proven that technology can enhance businesses, and improve the quality of life of people.

The country’s latest advance in technology is unveiled in time for the Spring Festival, when there will be a great exodus of people from China’s commercial centers to its various provinces, for family reunions.

Leveraging mainly on artificial intelligence (AI) and 5G, China announced that it will introduce innovative solutions to make commuting as seamless as possible.

One example can be seen at the Hangzhou East Railway Station where a “temporary ID self-service printer” has been installed. According to local news agencies, passengers who lose their identification cards can now get a temporary one printed within 30 seconds.

Through AI-powered facial recognition, the printer can match a passengers’ face with their ID numbers, and print out new identification documents almost instantaneously.

This saves time and increases efficiency. Previously, passengers had to queue at staffed counters to obtain temporary IDs.

There are also plans to deploy 5G powered robots to ease the workload of security staff.

These robots ‘learn’ how to analyze human behavior from dozens of data sets. Based on this knowledge, they can help identify potential threats, thereby mitigating unwanted security risks.

Aside from this, the country’s 5G-covered train route along the Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong high-speed railway is also expected to be in full use this Spring Festival.

With reduced latency and costs, and incredible speed, 5G trains can enhance a passenger’s experience.

For example, usage of social media and messaging services will be seamless, even at a travel speed of 217 miles per hour.

The widescale use of AI and 5G technology is in line with the country’s ambitions to dominate in a world shaped by the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

This is not the first time these technologies have been deployed. Earlier this month, it announced plans to support and encourage AI research projects in various states (the latest being Hangzhou) by offering millions in subsidies.

China also leads the pack in 5G technology, and is ahead of countries such as the UK and the US.

Under President Xi Jinping’s leadership, the country has been openly embracing technology disruptions. If all goes well during the Spring Festival this year, public confidence in technology, as well as its use cases, will only increase.

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