As the era of the Consumer Internet wanes, humanity seeks the optimal path to the Industrial Internet. From the S2B business model to emerging technologies like blockchain and the metaverse, all seem to point towards this new frontier. While these advancements have brought fresh developments, the Industrial Internet remains an elusive concept. A thorough analysis reveals that neither business models nor underlying technologies alone can fully elucidate its internal logic or make it a tangible reality—a crucial aspect to consider.

With the maturation of numerous AI technologies, especially their profound impact on industrial transformation, the once elusive Industrial Internet is gradually becoming a tangible reality. In a sense, AI serves as a "catalyst" for the Industrial Internet, transforming it from "raw materials" into "finished products." For any player aiming to make a mark in the Industrial Internet era, grasping the new dividends of AI and applying it to realize the Industrial Internet's logic is undoubtedly a pivotal aspect.

Thus, a question inevitably arises: why does AI become the "catalyst" of the Industrial Internet? What role does it play in transforming the Industrial Internet from a dream into a reality? To gain a relatively accurate understanding, we must delve into the relationship between AI and the Industrial Internet.

AI: The "Infrastructure" of the Industrial Internet

Every era has its own "infrastructure." For the Consumer Internet era, Internet technology stands out prominently. When Internet technology became its "infrastructure," nearly all players who discovered business models that resonated with it became leaders. The same applies to the Industrial Internet.

Reviewing past Industrial Internet explorations and practices, one significant reason for their lack of substantial improvement is that people have not yet truly discovered the "underlying infrastructure" suitable for the Industrial Internet era. Despite the many Industrial Internet concepts, they are still built upon Internet technology. This is the fundamental reason why the Industrial Internet has not developed at a rapid pace.

With the advent of the AI era, especially as AI begins to mature, people no longer solely consider the Internet as the infrastructure when contemplating and exploring the Industrial Internet. Instead, they start to view AI as the infrastructure. When AI becomes the new infrastructure, the Industrial Internet is no longer dominated by the "Internet" but by "industries." The derivation and emergence of new industries become the hallmarks of the Industrial Internet. This is because AI has become the "infrastructure." From this perspective, one of the crucial reasons AI becomes the "catalyst" in the Industrial Internet era is that it spawns new industries, thereby becoming a testament to the Industrial Internet.

AI: The "Scalpel" of the Industrial Internet

When discussing the Industrial Internet, we often mention that the industry itself undergoes a complete transformation in this era. In other words, the derivation and emergence of new industries are the defining features of the Industrial Internet era. Looking back, one significant reason for the delayed realization of the Industrial Internet is the lack of new industries. With the advent of AI, especially as it begins to deeply integrate with education, retail, logistics, healthcare, manufacturing, and many other industries, these industries have almost all undergone profound and comprehensive changes, achieving a complete transformation. It can even be said that traditional industries have achieved "renewal" and "replacement of the old with the new."

As this phenomenon becomes increasingly prevalent, we can say that new industries are emerging more frequently. So, why have so many industries achieved new derivation and emergence in the AI era? An in-depth analysis reveals that AI is becoming the "scalpel" of the Industrial Internet. With its assistance, the chronic problems of traditional industries begin to be addressed, enabling them to undergo a complete transformation into new industries.

Taking the manufacturing industry as an example, in the past, we often talked about its transformation and upgrading. However, without the replacement and renewal of the intrinsic elements of the manufacturing industry, transformation and upgrading could not be achieved. With the maturation of AI, this situation begins to improve. By applying AI robots to the manufacturing industry, the traditional elements that constitute it begin to undergo a deep and thorough change, giving rise to intelligent manufacturing. If we summarize and define intelligent manufacturing, it falls under the category of the Industrial Internet.

One of the crucial reasons AI has such functions and effects is that it can address the chronic problems of traditional industries, realize their transformation and upgrading, and ultimately spawn new industries. In this sense, AI also plays the role of a "catalyst" in the Industrial Internet era.

AI: The "Business Incubator" of the Industrial Internet

One of the key reasons the Consumer Internet concept could be implemented is that it was supported by business models suited to that era. The platform model, the B2B model, and the O2O model we see today are almost all representatives of Consumer Internet-era business models. For the Industrial Internet to be implemented, it necessarily needs the support of corresponding business models.

As AI begins to mature, new business models start to derive and emerge. If we consider the platform-based and centralized business model as the mainstream in the Consumer Internet era, then the new business model derived from the AI era is de-platformed and decentralized. In other words, the profit model in the Industrial Internet era is not realized through large platforms and centers but by benefiting each individual.

Driven by such a business model, industries and individuals become the ultimate beneficiaries, achieving cost reduction and efficiency improvement. This is why the Industrial Internet can unleash such great potential. Looking back, one of the significant reasons the Industrial Internet model has not been implemented is that it has not given rise to such a business model. From this perspective, AI plays the role of a "business incubator" in the implementation and maturation of the Industrial Internet. It spawns new business models and truly ensures the advancement and development of the Industrial Internet with these models.

Conclusion

In a sense, the reason the Industrial Internet can transform from an ideal to a reality is that AI plays a crucial role in it. If we summarize these roles, AI primarily functions as a "catalyst." With this "catalyst," the Industrial Internet is no longer a synonym for the Consumer Internet but a brand-new entity with its own technology, business model, and, more importantly, its own industries. When new industries begin to derive, the Industrial Internet becomes a worthy name, rather than an illusory mirage.