Bit Avatar of China Mobile’s Chairman Yang Jie Takes Global Stage at MWC 2023

The bit avatar of Yang Jie, the Chairman of China Mobile, made his debut at the opening ceremony of Mobile World Congress 2023 (MWC 2023) in this manner. Together with the General Manager of China Mobile, Dong Xin, Yang Jie delivered an immersive keynote speech via his digital-intelligent avatar, showcasing the innovative achievements of China Mobile’s new generation information technology that integrates the digital and the real economy.

The bit avatar of Yang Jie was created by a comprehensive use of technologies such as facial modeling, expression transfer, and speech synthesis which can simulate human appearance and behavior and may eventually achieve a "digital replica" of thoughts in the future. This is the first time that Yang Jie, Chairman of China Mobile, attends an event in this image. During the speech delivered by the bit avatar, the appearance, voice, and body language were indistinguishable from Yang Jie's physical presence.

Yang Jie stated that in the future, with the ever-faster digital transformation of the economy and society, more extensive growth opportunities are underway for the information and communication industry. Firstly, the integrated innovation of information and energy has become the main driving force of human civilization advancement. Throughout the history, information and energy have been two main lines of human civilization advancement. As the civilization evolves, carriers of information advance form language, symbols and words in the early ages to the telegraph and telephones in the industrial age, and to data and information technology in the information era. Now as information is deeply integrated with the whole process of energy conversion and usage, the fusion of “Watts x Bits” has been triggered. Our human society is ushering in a brand-new era led by information and characterized by the integrated development of information and energy. It inspires to follow the integrated innovation of information and technology as a pattern of our times, to explore the value and responsibility of our industry and work together to play a bigger role in the development of human society. Secondly, the integrated innovation of the new generation information technologies has a profound influence on the trajectory of industrial development. The next-generation information technologies are shifting as a chain with multiple breakthroughs in a mutually reinforcing manner. The application of data sensing, transmission, storage and computing in the whole process requires a higher level of integration and systemic innovation of next-generation information technologies, which makes it difficult for conventional communications technology to address complex issues at scale by itself. Thus, the coordination and joint development of CT, IT and DT are necessary. Thirdly, the integrated innovation of information service system and social operation system incubates vast blue-ocean opportunities. The accelerated integration of next-generation information technologies into the whole process and all aspects of economic and social development are driving profound changes in production methods and the way of living and social governance. It also makes the new type of information service system of “Connectivity + Computing Force + Capability” a common demand of the whole society in technology and application innovation. Optimal services should be realized by shifting the focus from meeting conventional communication demands to leading and creating in areas including production, living and governance for information services, strengthening deep cooperation, joining innovation with various industries and cultivating new industries, business formats and models such as the industrial Internet, Metaverse, and smart cities.

The Metaverse is a new highland for digital economy development. It is expected to make up over 30% of the digital economy by 2032, creating a new frontier of an network power and digital China and for the integration of the digital and real economies. It also serves as a new driving force and advantage for the high-quality development of digital economy. As the national team and main force of a network power, digital China, and smart society, China Mobile plans to focus on 5G, computing force network, and smart platform to systematically establish a new information infrastructure for digital economy. With an innovative information service system of “Connectivity + Computing Force + Capability”, China Mobile aims to empower all walks of life and promote the deep integration of the digital economy and the real economy. Furthermore, through "Content + Technology + Integrated innovation”, China Mobile aims to promote the coordinated development of material civilization and spiritual civilization to continuously meet people's longing for a better life and thus contribute to the Chinese-style modernization.