Shandong Energy, Huawei, and Yunding Technology have collaborated to introduce the Pangu Mine Model, which is recognized as the world's first significant commercial AI model for the energy industry. The primary objective of this model is to enhance the application of AI in the mining sector and facilitate the transformation of AI model development from a workshop-scale to a factory-scale approach.

Li Wei, Chairman of Shandong Energy, highlights the alignment between Huawei and Shandong Energy in terms of their shared ambition for digital transformation. He emphasizes the mutually reinforcing and complementary nature of the two companies. Wei expresses his vision of raising the intelligence level in the mining industry by expanding AI applications across various scenarios. The aim is to leverage AI to achieve automation, efficiency, reduced labor intensity, and improved safety in mining operations.

The collaboration between Shandong Energy, Yunding Technology, and Huawei involves the implementation of initial AI applications for mining. These applications have been developed based on pilot verification of large AI models during industrial production. The applications cover 21 different scenarios related to 9 operating activities, including coal mining, tunnelling, primary transportation, auxiliary transportation, lifting, safety monitoring, rock burst prevention, coal preparation, and coking.

One key challenge in mining is rock bursts, which can be mitigated by drilling de-stress holes. Shandong Energy addresses this challenge in its Lilou and Xinjulong coal mines through the deployment of a large AI model. This model possesses visual recognition capabilities that intelligently analyze the quality of stress relief drilling. It assists rockburst prevention personnel in quality verification, reducing their review workload by 82%. Previously, this process took three days, but with the new AI model, the time has been reduced to just 10 minutes, resulting in a 100% acceptance rate.

In addition, Shandong Energy, Yunding Technology, and Huawei have jointly established a joint innovation center, where they introduced the Pangu Model. This model incorporates de-coupled operation management, intelligent production, in-campus data processing, large-scale replicability, as well as learning and analysis from small samples. The AI operation system of the innovation center employs central training, edge inference, cloud-edge coordination, learning by using, and non-stop optimization. With the implementation of the AI management system, coal production management shifts from reactive and manual-intensive to proactive and intelligent.

Zou Zhilei, Chairman of Huawei Mine Business Unit, emphasizes the role of AI in upgrading the mining industry, making coal production safer, greener, and semi- or fully-automated. Huawei intends to continue driving industry transformation, making the powerful capabilities of the Pangu Model accessible to various industries. Furthermore, Huawei aims to collaborate with partners to solve industry-specific problems and create greater value.

The launch of the first commercial Pangu Mine Model injects new momentum into high-quality development within the mining industry and the broader energy sector.