Daikin Eyes to Roll out Program for AI

World’s biggest air conditioning manufacturer, Daikin, is working on an AI program amid a shortage of AI experts in Japan, Reuters reported on Monday.

“We have a sense of crisis as we don’t have experts well-versed in information technology when AI and data analysis are in great demand,” Yuji Yoneda, executive officer at Daikin was quoted as saying by Reuters.

In light of the grim situation, the government has unleashed plans to train 250,000 people on honing their AI skills annually within six years. But the plan has been criticized by many due to a shortage of teachers in the country. Companies such as Sony Corp are paying more to the right hires and focusing on employee more engineers from other countries.

On the other hand, Daikin is focusing on a more unusual route to AI expertise. The company has developed an in-house program to train fresh college pass outs (without AI-background) and present employees.

Daikin’s goal is to train 1,000 employees and make them AI-savvy within three years from now. The AI-specific training program is believed to be one of the ambitious curriculums ever launched by a Japanese company.

The company considers AI as a vital weapon to its futuristic business model, in which it intends to roll out subscription services with AI-powered ACs. The AI-powered ACs could adjust the temperature and quality of air itself; hence, improving efficiencies in homes and factories.

There is no information about the program’s cost.