NTT DATA, one of the leading global IT infrastructure and services company, has unveiled its new Edge AI platform aimed at accelerating IT/OT convergence by bringing AI processing to the edge. This approach processes data where it is generated, enabling the unification of diverse IoT devices, systems, and data. This unique, fully managed solution facilitates real-time decision-making, enhances operational efficiencies, and supports secure AI application deployment across various industries to drive advanced Industry 4.0 technologies.
Real time, localised decision-making Ai insights 
While recent attention has focused on General AI and Large Language Models (LLMs), these technologies are often impractical for industries that require real-time, local decision-making capabilities. NTT DATA’s Edge AI solution addresses this challenge by processing large datasets on compact computing platforms, utilizing smaller, more efficient machine learning models to deliver real-time AI insights.
NTT DATA’s Edge AI platform is a comprehensive managed service that includes all necessary systems, tools, and capabilities for AI at the edge. It encompasses data discovery, collection, integration, computational power, seamless connectivity, and AI model management.
Supported by NTT DATA’s consulting data scientists, managed services, and global technical resources, the Edge AI platform addresses challenges related to shadow IoT and AI infrastructure requirements. It achieves this by automatically discovering, unifying, and processing data from IoT devices and IT assets across organizations, simplifying AI deployment and management.
Specific industry needs
Addressing industry-specific challenges with AI-driven insights, the Edge AI platform is designed to meet specific industry needs. Leveraging lightweight, cost-effective AI models, it operates within compact computing environments. The platform supports tasks such as enhancing safety or operational efficiency by collecting data from diverse devices across network environments, enabling secure and immediate data processing and analytics.
For instance, in manufacturing operations, the platform could improve predictive maintenance by accessing IT/OT data from sensors, machinery, cameras, and applications to proactively plan and address potential failures. Additionally, NTT DATA’s Edge AI platform can monitor and optimize energy consumption in real time, predicting energy spikes and optimizing machine usage. This capability reduces costs and CO2 emissions, leveraging renewable energy sources effectively.
Group Executive Vice President of Edge Services at NTT DATA, Shahid Ahmed, says “Our Edge AI platform represents a significant leap forward in driving AI at the edge securely and cost-effectively. By harmonizing data from disparate sensors and devices with lightweight AI models, powering all kinds of automation use-cases, NTT DATA’s Edge AI is pioneering industrial AI adoption as the first fully managed offering, helping organizations modernize with tailored, industry-specific solutions.”
Seizing the US$200 billion market opportunity 
According to IDC, global spending on edge computing is projected to reach US$232 billion in 2024, marking a 15% increase from 2023. This growth is driven by the rising number of connected IoT devices worldwide, expected to surpass 41 billion by 2025.
NTT DATA aims to capture a significant market share with its specialized IoT consulting and services business. This division comprises 1,000 industry experts and offers hundreds of use cases, including predictive maintenance, fleet management, connected factories, energy consumption monitoring, and sustainability. The company has also globally trained over 500 sales experts to accelerate its Edge AI go-to-market efforts.
NTT DATA’s approach to Edge AI deployment enables clients to benefit from a complimentary 30-day discovery and diagnostic assessment of their IT and OT environments. The software automatically identifies assets using its extensive library of pre-built OT interfaces. Following this initial phase, the Edge AI software generates a comprehensive diagnostic report that inventories assets and data streams, while also identifying security risks and vulnerabilities.
Associate Vice President, Telco Mobility & IoT Research, IDC Europe, Alejandro Cadenas, says “A key challenge for enterprises is reliably capturing and aggregating operational data securely across a fragmented landscape of devices, platforms and data sources and turning it into actionable insights. NTT DATA’s ultralight Edge AI addresses these issues and simplifies the deployment and adoption of a data-driven enterprise strategy, reducing risks and timelines and optimizing total cost of ownership and value for the enterprise.”
Driving secure AI adoption at the edge with the first fully managed service
NTT DATA’s managed services for Edge AI provide a unified view and management of devices, sensors, and assets. With expert support and advanced technologies, NTT DATA helps businesses simplify complex processes, achieve cost savings, enhance performance, and accelerate digital transformation.
As the industry’s inaugural fully managed IT/OT convergence platform, Edge AI converts physical assets into software assets for data-driven insights, irrespective of their manufacturer. Operating at the edge, these managed services seamlessly integrate OT assets with IT applications, thereby boosting operational efficiency. Edge AI also offers visibility into the firmware versions of all connected devices to facilitate vulnerability patching and enhance overall device security.
Principal Analyst, Private Network, Omdia, Pablo Tomasi, says “Computing and AI must happen where they create the most value for the enterprise; for many industrial enterprises this is where the data is generated. By ingesting IT and OT data and leveraging AI models to drive use-case specific results, the NTT DATA solution takes another step towards realizing the industry 4.0 vision. Additionally, using task-specific small AI models will help drive AI democratisation by making it is easier for the enterprise to introduce AI where and when is needed, without the need for an extensive overhaul of their whole infrastructure.”
Edge AI rounds out NTT DATA’s comprehensive Edge portfolio, which includes Enterprise IoT, Edge Compute, Private 5G and Device as a Service.
 
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