From steel to data: The next revolution
From steel to data: The next revolution
https://www.weforum.org/stories/2026/01/from-steel-to-data-the-next-revolution/
Publish Date: 2026-01-13 12:11:00
Source Domain: www.weforum.org
- The future of AI development and its economic impact will primarily depend on the availability and quality of data, often regarded as the true raw material of the AI revolution.
- As nations gather to discuss AI’s role in solving real-world challenges, data’s importance is compared to steel’s significance during the Industrial Revolution, indicating that those who master data capture and management will lead.
- Currently, most industrial AI projects struggle because they rely on incomplete or low-fidelity data, which is captured manually or stored in non-digital formats like PDFs, spreadsheets, and binders.
- To enhance AI’s capabilities, it is essential to digitize and modernize physical infrastructure such as energy plants, manufacturing sites, and shipyards, bringing the real world into the high-fidelity, digital realm that AI can effectively utilize.
- Robots playing a crucial role alongside AI are essential in converting physical infrastructure to robust digital models by capturing precise and extensive data, thus providing AI the raw material it needs to function effectively.
- The comprehensive transformation of the physical world into digital data through detailed, structured data will unlock AI’s full potential in detecting inefficiencies, preventing failures, and improving economic sectors like infrastructure, defense, and manufacturing.
- With sufficient data infrastructure, AI can deliver profound changes like increased asset life, higher reliability, and operational efficiency across industries, ultimately determining who leads the AI revolution.
