Weekend update: Chinese aluminium giant leads digital transformation with AI

Aluminum Corp of China (Chalco), a global leader in the sector, is spearheading a digital revolution in the nonferrous metals industry. The company recently announced a collaborative initiative to integrate advanced artificial intelligence (AI) into the industry's operational and production processes.

At the heart of this endeavour is Chalco's newly launched Kun'an AI model, a groundbreaking system tailored specifically for the nonferrous metals sector. Unveiled at a launch event co-hosted with the China Nonferrous Metals Industry Association, Kun'an represents the industry's first general-purpose large language model.

Built on a vast dataset comprising tens of billions of data points, Kun'an brings cutting-edge capabilities to the table, including natural language processing, image analysis, and predictive modelling. Its aim? To refine processes across the industry, from resource exploration and mining to recycling, while enhancing security in areas such as data protection and network resilience.

Duan Xiangdong, chairman of Chalco, highlighted the transformative potential of AI during the launch. "The company is expected to further strengthen the technological foundation of large models, accelerate breakthroughs in cognitive intelligence operating systems and key industrial AI technologies, and drive the deep synergy of capital, talent, technology, data and computing power," Duan said.

The initiative has already garnered support from prominent government departments, including the National Development and Reform Commission and the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology. These partnerships underscore the strategic importance of digital innovation for the sector.

China's nonferrous metals industry, with its expansive supply chain and abundant data resources, offers fertile ground for such advancements. As Duan noted, the integration of AI is set to optimise production processes, modernise resource utilisation, and elevate the sector's overall efficiency.

The industry is also adapting to shifts in global dynamics, with mineral sourcing increasingly focusing on overseas markets and growth pivoting toward high-end materials. According to Jia Mingxing, executive vice-president of the China Nonferrous Metals Industry Association, joint efforts to deploy AI across enterprises will drive coordinated innovation and high-quality development.

"This collective synergy will foster coordinated innovation, empower the industry's transformation and high-quality development, and accelerate the cultivation of new quality productive forces," Jia voiced.

For the aluminium industry, this represents a golden—or rather, silvery—opportunity to stay at the forefront of technological evolution while embracing sustainable growth.

As we step into a future of intelligent metals, Chalco's leadership in AI-driven transformation offers a glimpse into how traditional industries can innovate for tomorrow.