Electronic products are still profitable, and when losses bottom out, they are the moments of profit recovery. Now is the best time for Sony engineers to demonstrate their product development capabilities. 
For decades, Sony seems to be invincible, its products are almost afraid of a deep alley, its sub-brands, Walkman and PlayStation become the symbol of the era. However, in recent years, Sony has had an old and declining connotation from a name that symbolizes innovation and success. A retired Sony executive summed up the company's lackluster: "Sony has become a bureaucratic organization unable to take risks."
If Sony still has the opportunity to reverse, then the responsibility for reversing the management level and reshaping corporate culture falls on President and CEO Kazuo Hirai. When he was on the stage, Sony had created a net loss record of 456 billion yen (as of March 2012), so many people were concerned about whether Hirai Hirai could allow Sony to use soft power in an era when hardware is king. A blood road.
After a series of bold restructuring measures, Kazuo Hirai and his innovation team are determined to ensure that there is no room for change.
Sony 2.0
Hiroaki Kitano is a key member of the promotion of "Sony 2.0," who is the president and CEO of Sony Computer Science Labs. Kitano introduced the Aibo robot dog. This product attracted a group of loyal followers, but robot development was cut after Sony's 2006 performance deteriorated. But he is still considered a master of robotics and artificial intelligence.
In February of this year, at the office of Kazuo Hirai, 20th floor, Shinagawa-ku, Sony Tokyo, Kitano Hiroshi showed him a chart with a length of 1 meter entitled "Sony 2.0", which depicts Sony's new products and new business areas. Assumption.
The Sony Computer Science Laboratory is a research institute that is independent from the main equipment company. When Kitano joined the game, she watched the company's movements as a spectator. Hirai, who was deeply touched by the motion proposed by Kitano, decided to meet with him regularly.
The recent personnel changes reflect the wishes of Kazuo Hirai, who better utilized the company's engineers and scientists to find commercial applications for AI and robotics. In the aftermath of employee cuts and the AIBO project, Sony internally struggled to maintain the company's development capabilities. Now Hirai offers them a new opportunity to re-release their potential.
Last fall, Kazuo Hirai decided to establish a dedicated medium and long-term business unit. He appointed Toshimoto Mitomo, a technology management executive, as the head of the department. The three friends immediately invited Kitano to participate. At the same time, there was an excellent AI engineer, Masahiro Fujita, who worked with Kitano to develop the Aibo robot and the humanoid robot Qrio.
The new department was officially launched in April, and Fujita was the chief technical engineer.
Sony’s board of directors has increased momentum because of Hirai’s plans to focus on artificial intelligence and robotics. In December last year, the Sony Board of Directors met in the Izu Resort in southwest Tokyo. The director of the MIT Media Lab, Ito Ito, and the former U.S. ambassador to Japan and Silicon Valley lawyer John Ruth all unanimously stressed that Sony should focus on the AI ​​chip.
Three friends, Kitano and Fujita continue to brainstorm with experts in the field of artificial intelligence and robotics, including members of the Sony Computer Science Laboratory from JD.com and Paris. They not only communicated internally. In May of this year, Sanyou and Kitano signed an investment agreement with the US AI startup Cogitai. In order to seek more insights in the field of artificial intelligence and robotics, Sony established an expert group in June with members from Sony Holdings and other entities around the world.
At the same time, in order to match its new technology strategy, Sony's recruitment has also changed. “We want to hire young people from all over the world who are eager for success, not well-known veterans.†Kitano said that in July this year, Sony Corporation sponsored the first international joint conference on artificial intelligence in New York, hoping to take some fresh ideas. Talent. Sony stated on the recruitment website: "Now, Sony is ready to meet new challenges in the field of robotics and artificial intelligence. We are looking for unique and talented individuals who are eager to reach people through a variety of products, content and services. A company's human resources executives Says that Sony is also "actively recruiting talents in the field of artificial intelligence and robotics" in Japan.
On June 29th, Sony held a strategic conference for investors, analysts, and news media. In the speech, Kazuo Hirai stated that Sony's vision is to develop a robot that can establish contact with people and even generate emotional transmission. From this conference, as well as Sony's personnel appointment and investment strategy, Sony has been fully committed to the field of robotics and artificial intelligence.
However, after the great blood loss, how can Sony really make a commitment to recover its vitality?
Lost in the digital world
Sony was founded in 1946. In the ruins of the Second World War, Sony developed the world's first transistor radio for consumers. Since then, Sony has successively developed several other iconic products. However, after entering the 21st century, Sony gradually deteriorated. The financial results announced in April 2003 were disappointing and people began to worry about the future of Sony. Sony's shares plummeted, as did other electronics stocks and the Nikkei, and the average stock price hit its lowest level in 20 years. It was dubbed "Sony's shock."
The popularity of the Internet has weakened the status of television broadcasts, CDs, DVDs, and their corresponding playback equipment. The development of semiconductor assembly technology brought about by digital innovation has made the production thresholds for PCs and TVs increasingly low. . This commoditized application has enabled China and South Korea to rapidly surpass Japanese conservative manufacturers with low-cost advantages.
Sony lost its way. It lags behind Apple's comprehensive control of hardware, software and networking technologies. Apple's products are eager for consumers. Because of the negative inaction of the former leadership, Sony has been avoiding risks. The less reluctant to take risks, the more difficult it seems to struggle.
However, when Hirai Hirai took over, he vowed to "change" Sony. It seems that he is not joking.
Mr. Hirai did not follow the old routine, although electronic products were consistently considered the core of Sony. The U.S. music business and Japan’s game business made him an outsider identity in the e-world, enabling Hirai Hirai to take bold structural changes in the loss-making electronics business.
Kenichi Kazuhiro and executive vice president and chief financial officer Kenichiro Yoshida jointly led the structural change. Sony has sold or merged businesses including small and medium-sized LCD monitors, Sony Chemicals, VAIO computers, batteries, etc. The current administrative structure of the headquarters has been greatly reduced, and 10,000 jobs have been cut for the entire group.
After this series of measures, Sony managed to maintain a strong income in the entertainment business, including games, music, movies and television programs.
Due to the rise of subscription-based streaming media services, the profitability of Sony's music business is continuously increasing, and it also expands the market for song recording. Its latest video game console, PlayStation 4, has caused a huge blow to the industry, and may find a broader consumer base in the second half of VR's chances of further popularity. The PlayStation's vision is to be able to evolve into a variety of VR content platforms, not just games. At the same time, through the focus on the launch of ultra-high-definition 4K TVs, Sony's TV business finally returned to profitability in 2014.
Now that the entire electronics sector is profitable, Sony is ready to respond to future challenges through innovation.
Let the association occur
Strictly speaking, the emerging artificial intelligence and robotics technologies are not limited to the meaning of "robots," but are the frontier foundations for all products and services.
Sony is developing a prototype that looks for the ideal AI interface from headphones to desktop mini-robots. “We will build a platform for AI that is dedicated to future social and life infrastructure equipment,†said Hirai.
Hiroshi Hirai believes that it is now the "last 1 inch" distance between people and cloud computing and artificial intelligence.
Chief Financial Officer Kenichi Yoshida believes that all this will give Sony a solid foundation. He predicted that "the combination of artificial intelligence and robotics and the Internet will create new services to obtain stable customers and recurring income."
Finally, after nearly two decades of observation and analysis of the company's dilemma, Sony executives finally began to look to the future. MIT Ito Ito believes Sony’s future is bright. He said in an interview that “Sony has great potential. You should expect more surprises.â€
Smart TV/box information can focus on smart TV information network sofa butler (http://), China's influential TV box and smart TV website, providing information, communication, TV boxes, smart TVs, smart TV software, etc. Answering questions.
Kazuo Hirai announces Sony's development strategy at the press conference
Sony wants to return. The profit target of 500 billion yen ($4.95 billion) seems to be a reality for the first time in 20 years. But before investors and consumers can change their minds, Sony must remake the world's products. Sony chose to use robotics, artificial intelligence and everyday devices as its breakthrough. For decades, Sony seems to be invincible, its products are almost afraid of a deep alley, its sub-brands, Walkman and PlayStation become the symbol of the era. However, in recent years, Sony has had an old and declining connotation from a name that symbolizes innovation and success. A retired Sony executive summed up the company's lackluster: "Sony has become a bureaucratic organization unable to take risks."
If Sony still has the opportunity to reverse, then the responsibility for reversing the management level and reshaping corporate culture falls on President and CEO Kazuo Hirai. When he was on the stage, Sony had created a net loss record of 456 billion yen (as of March 2012), so many people were concerned about whether Hirai Hirai could allow Sony to use soft power in an era when hardware is king. A blood road.
Sony's financial report data for the past 20 years
However, by 2016, Sony has just released a comprehensive net profit of 147 billion yen for three years. This is the first time in seven years that the company has successfully turned losses into profits by excluding one-time income such as real estate sales. Perhaps even more crucially, electronic hardware has made its first profit in five years, not including gaming machines that have already earned money. After a series of bold restructuring measures, Kazuo Hirai and his innovation team are determined to ensure that there is no room for change.
Sony 2.0
Hiroaki Kitano is a key member of the promotion of "Sony 2.0," who is the president and CEO of Sony Computer Science Labs. Kitano introduced the Aibo robot dog. This product attracted a group of loyal followers, but robot development was cut after Sony's 2006 performance deteriorated. But he is still considered a master of robotics and artificial intelligence.
In February of this year, at the office of Kazuo Hirai, 20th floor, Shinagawa-ku, Sony Tokyo, Kitano Hiroshi showed him a chart with a length of 1 meter entitled "Sony 2.0", which depicts Sony's new products and new business areas. Assumption.
The Sony Computer Science Laboratory is a research institute that is independent from the main equipment company. When Kitano joined the game, she watched the company's movements as a spectator. Hirai, who was deeply touched by the motion proposed by Kitano, decided to meet with him regularly.
The recent personnel changes reflect the wishes of Kazuo Hirai, who better utilized the company's engineers and scientists to find commercial applications for AI and robotics. In the aftermath of employee cuts and the AIBO project, Sony internally struggled to maintain the company's development capabilities. Now Hirai offers them a new opportunity to re-release their potential.
Last fall, Kazuo Hirai decided to establish a dedicated medium and long-term business unit. He appointed Toshimoto Mitomo, a technology management executive, as the head of the department. The three friends immediately invited Kitano to participate. At the same time, there was an excellent AI engineer, Masahiro Fujita, who worked with Kitano to develop the Aibo robot and the humanoid robot Qrio.
The new department was officially launched in April, and Fujita was the chief technical engineer.
Sony’s board of directors has increased momentum because of Hirai’s plans to focus on artificial intelligence and robotics. In December last year, the Sony Board of Directors met in the Izu Resort in southwest Tokyo. The director of the MIT Media Lab, Ito Ito, and the former U.S. ambassador to Japan and Silicon Valley lawyer John Ruth all unanimously stressed that Sony should focus on the AI ​​chip.
Three friends, Kitano and Fujita continue to brainstorm with experts in the field of artificial intelligence and robotics, including members of the Sony Computer Science Laboratory from JD.com and Paris. They not only communicated internally. In May of this year, Sanyou and Kitano signed an investment agreement with the US AI startup Cogitai. In order to seek more insights in the field of artificial intelligence and robotics, Sony established an expert group in June with members from Sony Holdings and other entities around the world.
At the same time, in order to match its new technology strategy, Sony's recruitment has also changed. “We want to hire young people from all over the world who are eager for success, not well-known veterans.†Kitano said that in July this year, Sony Corporation sponsored the first international joint conference on artificial intelligence in New York, hoping to take some fresh ideas. Talent. Sony stated on the recruitment website: "Now, Sony is ready to meet new challenges in the field of robotics and artificial intelligence. We are looking for unique and talented individuals who are eager to reach people through a variety of products, content and services. A company's human resources executives Says that Sony is also "actively recruiting talents in the field of artificial intelligence and robotics" in Japan.
On June 29th, Sony held a strategic conference for investors, analysts, and news media. In the speech, Kazuo Hirai stated that Sony's vision is to develop a robot that can establish contact with people and even generate emotional transmission. From this conference, as well as Sony's personnel appointment and investment strategy, Sony has been fully committed to the field of robotics and artificial intelligence.
However, after the great blood loss, how can Sony really make a commitment to recover its vitality?
Lost in the digital world
Sony was founded in 1946. In the ruins of the Second World War, Sony developed the world's first transistor radio for consumers. Since then, Sony has successively developed several other iconic products. However, after entering the 21st century, Sony gradually deteriorated. The financial results announced in April 2003 were disappointing and people began to worry about the future of Sony. Sony's shares plummeted, as did other electronics stocks and the Nikkei, and the average stock price hit its lowest level in 20 years. It was dubbed "Sony's shock."
The popularity of the Internet has weakened the status of television broadcasts, CDs, DVDs, and their corresponding playback equipment. The development of semiconductor assembly technology brought about by digital innovation has made the production thresholds for PCs and TVs increasingly low. . This commoditized application has enabled China and South Korea to rapidly surpass Japanese conservative manufacturers with low-cost advantages.
Sony lost its way. It lags behind Apple's comprehensive control of hardware, software and networking technologies. Apple's products are eager for consumers. Because of the negative inaction of the former leadership, Sony has been avoiding risks. The less reluctant to take risks, the more difficult it seems to struggle.
However, when Hirai Hirai took over, he vowed to "change" Sony. It seems that he is not joking.
Mr. Hirai did not follow the old routine, although electronic products were consistently considered the core of Sony. The U.S. music business and Japan’s game business made him an outsider identity in the e-world, enabling Hirai Hirai to take bold structural changes in the loss-making electronics business.
Kenichi Kazuhiro and executive vice president and chief financial officer Kenichiro Yoshida jointly led the structural change. Sony has sold or merged businesses including small and medium-sized LCD monitors, Sony Chemicals, VAIO computers, batteries, etc. The current administrative structure of the headquarters has been greatly reduced, and 10,000 jobs have been cut for the entire group.
After this series of measures, Sony managed to maintain a strong income in the entertainment business, including games, music, movies and television programs.
Due to the rise of subscription-based streaming media services, the profitability of Sony's music business is continuously increasing, and it also expands the market for song recording. Its latest video game console, PlayStation 4, has caused a huge blow to the industry, and may find a broader consumer base in the second half of VR's chances of further popularity. The PlayStation's vision is to be able to evolve into a variety of VR content platforms, not just games. At the same time, through the focus on the launch of ultra-high-definition 4K TVs, Sony's TV business finally returned to profitability in 2014.
Now that the entire electronics sector is profitable, Sony is ready to respond to future challenges through innovation.
Let the association occur
Strictly speaking, the emerging artificial intelligence and robotics technologies are not limited to the meaning of "robots," but are the frontier foundations for all products and services.
Sony is developing a prototype that looks for the ideal AI interface from headphones to desktop mini-robots. “We will build a platform for AI that is dedicated to future social and life infrastructure equipment,†said Hirai.
Hiroshi Hirai believes that it is now the "last 1 inch" distance between people and cloud computing and artificial intelligence.
Chief Financial Officer Kenichi Yoshida believes that all this will give Sony a solid foundation. He predicted that "the combination of artificial intelligence and robotics and the Internet will create new services to obtain stable customers and recurring income."
Finally, after nearly two decades of observation and analysis of the company's dilemma, Sony executives finally began to look to the future. MIT Ito Ito believes Sony’s future is bright. He said in an interview that “Sony has great potential. You should expect more surprises.â€
Smart TV/box information can focus on smart TV information network sofa butler (http://), China's influential TV box and smart TV website, providing information, communication, TV boxes, smart TVs, smart TV software, etc. Answering questions.