Page 61 - Forbes - USA (February 2018)

SPECIAL ADVERTISTING SECTION

THK:

BOOSTING GROWTH CAPACITY THROUGH AI AND ROBOTICS

Akihiro Teramachi, Chief Executive Officer and President of THK Co., Ltd, is looking to increase his company’s
growth capacity by leveraging Artificial Intelligence (AI) and robotics in the face of a shrinking labor market.

THK, the company that pioneered the Linear China and Vietnam to maximize production need to develop human resources capable
Motion Guide mechanism, has also relocated in response to soaring demand driven by the of qualifying for this high-income group at
its head office to strengthen group-wide rise of the Internet of Things (IoT), the auto- THK, even while society becomes polarized,”
cooperation, improve operational efficiency, mobile industry, and also as a result of the he says.
and enhance business continuity planning. In automation of production facilities.
addition, the company is investing in Japan, “We have our hands full just keeping up Changing Minds
with demand,” says Teramachi. “In addition Education, training and self-awareness are
to the spread of IoT, semiconductor-related vital in this process, but one hurdle is that
investment is expanding as a result of the the global education system continues to
increase in electric vehicles and advances in revolve around the idea that humans are irre-
self-driving technologies. We are also see- placeable. Teramachi believes it is essential
ing increased overall demand for our prod- for people to be able to adapt to changes
ucts given the steady growth in investment in society and the environment, and that we
related to the automation of production facil- must develop an education system that sup-
ities against a backdrop of labor shortages.” ports this.
“The good thing about the Japanese is that
Brave New World they are a close-knit, homogenous and duti-
Teramachi has triggered a major change in ful society, which is extremely useful when it
the company’s business style driven by AI, comes to ensuring quality and safety. On the
robotics and IoT as the third strategic pillar other hand, these qualities can also impede
for THK. The challenge is to develop products the launching of, and reactions to, change.
that match changing needs, and to simulta- If the Japanese education system can be
neously consider sales-based uses and other steered towards providing pupils with a
applications. sense of independence and self-respect,
And yet, Teramachi is wary of over-reliance along with a healthy appreciation for change
on AI and robotics. “If we allow robots to pen- while maintaining its other positive points,
etrate society in their existing format, they then there is a good chance it can develop
will not be in a position to purchase goods or students capable of guiding global society in
services, leading to shrinking consumption, a better direction,” Teramachi says.
smaller markets, and an atrophied economy.
In addition, humans would lose their position
in the workplace. We must avoid this state of
affairs,” he says.
“Looking ahead, humans must actively
trust their work to AI and robotics, and focus
their efforts on high-value-added creative
work in other areas where this is not possible,
such as anticipating needs that others cannot
see. The 10,000-plus employees of the THK
Group may be forced to alter the way they
perform their jobs,” Teramachi says.
With robots gaining the ability to do tasks Akihiro Teramachi graduated from
currently performed by mid-income class Keio University in 1971 and joined THK
workers, Teramachi sees a high potential for Co., Ltd. in 1975. He became a Direc-
the workplace to polarize, between low-sal- tor in 1982 and Vice President in 1994,
ary labor hired at costs that undercut robot- before taking over as CEO in 1997.
Akihiro Teramachi, Chief Executive Officer and ics, and high-income workers who need to
President of THK Co., Ltd. be able to constantly think on their feet. “We www.thk.com

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