Note: The article was written by icebin and translated by Zinan Zhang.
Get ready for the annual insights from TechNode Content Team! The year 2023 can be considered a groundbreaking year in the technology field. As wrapping up this year, we gathered different insights from our content team. We’ll present nine Q&As, with timely updates every Wednesday and Friday in the following weeks!
Today, our Q&A comes from icebin, reporter at TechNode. icebin is a tech reporter based in Shanghai who focuses on Sustainability, EV, VR/AR, IoT, and New Material.
1. Which company has impressed you the most in 2023?
It’s BYD. This company has transitioned from one era to another. After years of dedicated efforts, BYD has become a leader in China’s EV market, with 1557 patent applications making it the company with the highest number of pure EV-related patent applications among the top four EV manufacturers in China. Leveraging their accumulated technology and patents in the battery field, coupled with the expansion of product categories, they achieved a remarkable annual sales figure of 3,024,417 vehicles, a year-on-year growth of 61.9%. With this impressive data, BYD not only fulfilled its goal of selling 3 million vehicles set at the beginning of the year but also secured the top spot in China’s annual automotive sales, claiming the global crown in new energy vehicle sales. The 3 million mark also set a new record for annual car sales in China.
2. Which company has surprised you the most in 2023?
The most surprising company for me is Huawei. Before the launch of the Apple 15 series, Huawei preemptively released and sold the new Mate 60 series, especially considering the chip restrictions. Additionally, Huawei has made a strong product layout in the automotive market, exerting significant competitive pressure on other car manufacturers.
3. Which industry professional/entrepreneur/startup founder has left the most profound impression on you in 2023?
The entrepreneur who has left a deep impression on me is Sam Altman, the CEO of OpenAI. The products he has led have ushered in a new era of AI. The revolutionary AI chatbot, ChatGPT, introduced by OpenAI, connects extensive corpora to train the model, achieving conversations in chat scenarios almost similar to real human interaction. In the future, as intelligent applications in areas such as customer service, education, healthcare, and search engines continue to be implemented, ChatGPT, integrated with various industry applications, is set to witness the establishment of more paid business models.
4. What is the most memorable overseas event for you in 2023?
The overseas event that left the deepest impression on me this year is the continuous surge in NVIDIA’s stock price. This also signifies the industry’s recognition of its key role in AI sector. In the AI frenzy, NVIDIA has emerged as the biggest winner, surpassing a trillion-dollar market cap. The sudden popularity of ChatGPT has triggered a global AI race between major tech companies and startups, all eager to acquire NVIDIA’s H100 product. Jensen Huang referred to it as “the world’s first computer [chip] designed for generative AI”.
5. If you were to recommend one significant industry trend for everyone to follow, what would it be?
The industry trend that I’d like to highlight is Microsoft’s strategic layout in the field of AI. With Microsoft’s involvement in AI and its integration with the Windows and PC ecosystem, AI can now bring significant innovation in both software and hardware ecosystems.
6. What industry buzzword have you encountered the most in 2023?
Without a doubt, the hottest trend is AI. This term has made an impact across various industries, with almost every sector leveraging AI for innovation and breakthroughs. It can be foreseen that this trend will continue in the coming years.
7. Which phrase or sentence best summarizes your perspective on the field you’ve been following in 2023?
It can be described as “Let a hundred flowers bloom; let a hundred schools of thought contend”. Whether in the field of AI, new energy vehicles, or consumer electronics, with the collaborative efforts of AI and related hardware and chips, the pace and diversity of changes in the world have become even more rapid.
8. What product/company/technology/industry are you most looking forward to next year?
Next year, what I am most looking forward to is the integration of AI in consumer electronics and personal digital products, breakthroughs in the MR/AR field, technological innovations in the new energy vehicle sector, and the refinement of technology in the field of intelligent driving. This includes leading enterprises both domestically and internationally. Of course, the actions of companies led by Musk next year are also worth paying attention to, as he always manages to bring unconventional breakthroughs and innovations.
9. Do you believe AI has the potential to threaten humanity?
From a technological perspective, AI, when used friendly, will undoubtedly significantly improve human work and life. However, technology can also be exploited by malicious actors, and what we need to do is take preventive measures. In the current trend, AI will not pose a threat to humanity; it will only assist humanity in entering a new era of development, resolving more conflicts.
