Unlimited Innovation for a Global Sustainable Society by IOWN

1. Introduction

This article presents our innovations toward a global sustainable society achieved with the Innovative Optical and Wireless Network (IOWN).

The NTT Group is a global information and communication technology (ICT) company group with more than 960 companies and 330,000 employees worldwide. About 45% of employees work outside of Japan. The holding company has a large research and development (R&D) department with about 2300 researchers working in our 17 laboratories located in Japan and the United States. NTT is leading global R&D in various fields, particularly in optical electronics, security systems, neurological analysis, and quantum mechanics.

2. IOWN: breakthrough innovation

We are now facing many crises such as pandemics, climate change, natural disasters, and a divided world. To address these crises, we have to enhance ICT technologies, but there are serious problems. Internet traffic is growing exponentially; therefore, many computers are needed to process large amounts of data. As a result, energy consumption is skyrocketing. However, carbon neutrality is also a global goal. We thus must achieve both economic growth and carbon neutrality.

Let us look at the increase in datacenter power consumption. NTT is now the number three datacenter operator in the world. In 2018, datacenter power consumption was about 190 terawatt-hours worldwide (Fig. 1). It is expected to increase about 13 times by 2030, and overall power consumption is also expected to increase significantly.

Fig. 1. Global datacenter data volume and power consumption.

Therefore, we need to break through the limitations of current technology. Our idea for this breakthrough is IOWN. The key to IOWN is optical technology, which has advantages over electricity. Even if the transmission distance or frequency of a signal increases, the power consumption barely increases. NTT currently uses optical fibers for long-distance data transmission and has been researching optical technology to use optics for both data transmission and data processing. It has been difficult to apply optical technology to data processing compared with data transmission, but in 2019, we finally developed the world’s first optical transistor. This was the origin of IOWN (Fig. 2).

Fig. 2. R&D of optical technology at NTT.

NTT has strength in the fabrication method of optical transistors. We have over 50 patents worldwide. While conventional optical transistors are stacked vertically, we possess the technology to assemble them horizontally. By confining a strong light within a thin active layer, we can achieve high performance. This membrane photonics technology is key to reduce 99% of power consumption (Fig. 3).

Fig. 3. Strengths of NTT’s membrane compound semiconductor devices.

Performance targets of IOWN are 100 times higher energy efficiency, 125 times higher transmission capacity, and 1/200 the end-to-end latency. When we announced IOWN, we planned to start commercial service in 2030. To meet the expectation of customers, however, we launched the first All-Photonics Network (APN) service, IOWN 1.0, in 2023.

One of the APN use cases was the Future Music Concert. This was a classical concert using the APN in which musicians were located not only in Tokyo but also in Osaka and other places, and the conductor was in Tokyo. The fiber distance between Tokyo and Osaka was about 700 km. The time delay was only 20 ms, which is the same time delay as when musicians are on the same stage 3 m apart.

3. AI × IOWN

The use of AI is highly significant in the field of cyber security. However, this applies not only to the legitimate users but also attackers. How can we defeat cyber attacks that use botnets? If a botnet is combined with advanced AI beyond human ability, cyber security would be threatened more than ever. AI can instantly make botnets more malicious. I believe it is IOWN that will enable us to avoid this threat because defensive AIs connecting with each other on the IOWN APN can defeat botnets by promptly sharing knowledge with each other.

We liken this kind of AI collaboration to a constellation, thus call it the AI constellation and promoting its research and development (Fig. 4). The AI constellation is a key technology for achieving more advanced collective intelligence using AI. However, generative AI cannot confirm its own answers. Most generative AIs are singular and massive. Therefore, they cannot deny their answers. I believe AIs should find better answers by communicating with each other and demonstrating their own expertise. The Internet cannot achieve this because it has no clock for enabling AIs to synchronize each other. IOWN based on photonic technologies aims to enable the AI constellation to execute what humans take for granted.

Fig. 4. AI constellation.

Generative AI also uses a large language model and finds answers from the data created by humans. AI learns from human knowledge to help humans. However, can AI help humans with challenges beyond human knowledge?—No. Can AI solve the mechanism of how the COVID-19 virus changes?—No. Current generative AI cannot perceive all possible information. To compensate for human limitations, I believe AI should understand not only data created by humans but also various data on the Earth and universe. AI will thus evolve into one that derives answers beyond human knowledge. IOWN will be the foundation that supports such future generative AI.

4. Mobility × IOWN

IOWN can provide high-capacity and low-latency networks for connecting datacenters worldwide. With this global datacenter connectivity, mobility will evolve to become smarter and safer. I would like to introduce the three core technologies necessary for this evolution.

The first technology is the intelligent communication infrastructure. It collects data in real time from people, mobile sources, and infrastructures; selects the optimal communication using AI; and provides seamless communication infrastructure.

The second technology is the decentralized computing infrastructure. Future connected cars will be continuously connected with datacenters. This enables the download of information across time and space for safe driving, achieving a society with zero traffic accidents. We will construct a decentralized computing infrastructure in Japan then expand this infrastructure globally by using our global datacenter capabilities (Fig. 5).

Fig. 5. Decentralized computing infrastructure.

The third technology is the Mobility AI Platform. We will build this platform by training AI using the diverse data of people, mobile sources, and infrastructure. We call it LMM, the large mobility data model. This is an example of the future generative AI I previously introduced. To implement this technology, we have begun collaboration with Toyota. In 2028, we will implement the platform with various partners, aiming for widespread adoption. We have received the following message from Senior Executive Vice President Hiroki Nakajima of Toyota Motor Corporation: “To create a society with zero traffic accidents, we need a three-pronged approach that involves people, vehicles, and infrastructure. To achieve this, it is essential to create the Mobility AI Platform, which combines seamless communication infrastructure with an AI infrastructure designed for learning from diverse data. At Toyota, we believe that the future is something we create together. Together with NTT, we aim to take the lead alongside many partners who share our values, and we will strive to build a social foundation that enriches people’s lives.”

5. Aerospace × IOWN

IOWN will expand beyond the Earth to aerospace. NTT aims to create a bountiful future by expanding into space using cutting-edge IOWN technology and technical capabilities cultivated from the ground up. This challenge is called the Space Integrated Computing Network. This is a truly eco-friendly infrastructure since it breaks away from Earth-based energy (Fig. 6). Integrating NTT’s IOWN technology with Sky Perfect JSAT space asset business will help us collect and computationally process satellite data in space. To achieve this, we first need to solve current communication problems. Data transmission to the ground has a limited window with a single satellite. Plus, the slow speed of radio communication can take several hours to several days to transfer data, so satellite functions have yet to be fully actuated.

Fig. 6. The Space Integrated Computing Network.

To overcome these problems, we use photonics-electronics convergence devices that combine optical and electronic technologies through IOWN. High-altitude platform stations in the stratosphere and satellites in low Earth and geostationary orbits will be integrated to form a network that connects to the ground via optical wireless communications. Data acquired with observation satellites are immediately sent to each satellite in the computing network for distributed processing. Data are processed in space, and geostationary satellites only transfer the necessary information, reducing transmission costs and greatly shortening time for transferring important data.

The concept of this network is to create an independent ICT system in space, separate from the ground. This would be highly effective in disaster-prone countries such as Japan, and we are keen to make this a reality.

6. Humans × IOWN

Technology and AI will evolve. What about humans? Lastly, I’d like to introduce a new human evolution powered by IOWN.

DJ MASA was diagnosed with ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis) in 2013. Being paralyzed did not stop his passion to continue creating music using gaze input. To make his wish to have fun with his audience as a DJ once more, we have developed a technology to sense a subtle electrical signal generated when moving his muscles to move his digital avatar. Though he can no longer move his arms or feet, on the digital twin, he may regain the freedom to move. The stage for the challenge was set at Ars Electronica, the world-renowned festival of media art. NTT’s cross-lingual-text-to speech technology was used to reproduce his voice from past recordings in multiple languages, and MASA communicated in English with his own voice. In the live performance, the audience enthusiastically responded, echoing his hands raised high. MASA said: “I could feel I was connecting with the audience. I continue to challenge the impossible.”

I believe human potential is unlimited with IOWN. Thus, we aim to build a sustainable society together with all of you.