
2025.01.24
CES 2025 opening keynote
Expressing Firm Determination to Solve Global Environmental Problems and Promote Business Transformation Using AI
Series:
The Panasonic Group exhibited at CES 2025, the world's largest technology trade show, held January 7–10, 2025, in Las Vegas, US. On the opening day, Yuki Kusumi, Group CEO, announced the Group's direction in his opening keynote. This article gives an outline of the keynote and Kusumi's aspirations.
Panasonic GREEN IMPACT: Unwavering commitment to meeting goals
The Panasonic Group showcased its innovations at CES 2025 under the theme "Well into the future." This theme embodies the idea that the Panasonic Group, in collaboration with its ever-growing array of strategic partners, continues to strive toward a better future, aiming to achieve an ideal society with affluence both in matter and mind, the mission of the Group.
To create such a society, it is essential to resolve global environmental problems, including climate change and resource depletion. This is why the Panasonic Group makes resolving global environmental problems its highest priority that must be addressed urgently. Therefore, Kusumi emphasized before all else, "I want to do everything I can to make sure that my children and grandchildren, as well as yours, and future generations enjoy a healthy global environment."

He introduced the example of Panasonic HX, which efficiently supplies renewable energy by controlling the coordination of pure hydrogen fuel cells, solar cells, and storage batteries using an advanced energy management system while responding to changes in electric power demand and weather conditions. This solution is already in operation at the Kusatsu site in Japan and a manufacturing site in the UK, and it will be deployed in an office building in Munich, Germany, this spring.
Kusumi also spoke about the OASYS residential central air conditioning system to be released in the US market, which air conditions and ventilates an entire house using a combination of a mini split air conditioner, an energy recovery ventilator, and transfer fans using a DC motor-driven ventilation system. He pointed out that it is at least 50% more energy efficient*1 than conventional air-conditioning systems.
*1: Conventional air-conditioning systems use a heat pump cooling system (14.2 SEER2) and a gas furnace (80% AFUE) for houses that are performance-compliant with IECC 2015. OASYS uses Panasonic's mini split air conditioners and transfer fans for both cooling and heating functions in houses that are performance-compliant with OASYS-required specifications (estimated by converting gas energy consumption to electricity).
In recent years, electric vehicles (EVs) have taken the spotlight for their contribution to reducing CO2 emissions. Regarding automotive cylindrical lithium-ion batteries that support the widespread use of EVs, Kusumi mentioned that Panasonic has supplied a total of 15 billion cells to power over 3 million EVs. He also introduced the 2170 cell with the world's highest energy density,*2 the high-capacity 4680 cell, whose mass production will begin soon, and the company's collaboration with major carmakers. Furthermore, he mentioned the partnership with Redwood Materials Inc. in the US for the purchase of recycled cathode active materials and copper foil. JB Straubel, CEO of Redwood Materials, joined Kusumi and offered words of encouragement, "Panasonic is an incredible leader when it comes to technology and their commitment to sustainability."
*2: As of January 8, 2025, survey by Panasonic Energy Co., Ltd.
Upcoming issues will introduce key figures engaged in Panasonic HX, OASYS, and the automotive cylindrical lithium-ion battery business.

Introduction of OASYS

JB Straubel, CEO of Redwood Materials (right)
Next, Kusumi emphasized that avoided emissions, for customers and society, form a significant part of the Group's efforts to make an impact of more than 300 million tons*3 in reducing CO2 emissions by 2050. This goal is part of the long-term environmental vision Panasonic GREEN IMPACT. Avoided emissions represent how much CO2 emissions can be avoided throughout the value chain by replacing products and services previously used by customers with Panasonic solutions that are friendly to the environment. The Panasonic Group aims to achieve 93 million tons*4 of avoided emissions by FY2030 through extensive technology development and innovations.
*3: The emissions factor is fixed to the 2020 emissions level in order to properly measure the amount of own efforts to CO2 reduction.
*4. Calculated with emissions factor (IEA 2021) at the time of the PGI formulation (FY2020).
To resolve global environmental issues, our entire society—not just the Panasonic Group—must accelerate technology development and innovations that contribute to decarbonization. In addition, avoided emissions must be used as a metric for accurately measuring the success of a company working on these initiatives.
The Panasonic Group has held a series of discussions and engaged in other initiatives to promote the recognition of avoided emissions and standardize the necessary calculation methods in cooperation with governments, industries, and financial institutions. One such partner organization is the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD), consisting of over 230 companies.

Peter Bakker, President and CEO of WBCSD
Peter Bakker, President and CEO of WBCSD, came on stage during the keynote and expressed his intention to make sustainability the foundation of economic growth and environmental resilience*5 through close collaboration between WBCSD and Panasonic. He delivered a message to tackle social challenges by sharing the vision for an ideal society with affluence both in matter and mind.
*5: Environmental resilience is the ability of society and ecosystems to adapt to and recover from environmental challenges, including climate change and natural disasters.
Panasonic Go: Turning evolution of AI technology into Panasonic's strengths

Kusumi then moved on to the launch of Panasonic Go, a global corporate growth initiative. It aims to promote business transformation using AI by maximizing use of the knowledge, technology, and hardware that the Group has accumulated. Panasonic Go refers to two actions: One is making significant strides in advancing digital transformation across the Panasonic Group, and the other is moving toward the fifth phase (from 2032 to 2056) of the 250-year plan.*6
*6: The 250-year plan was announced by the founder Konosuke Matsushita at the first Foundation Day Ceremony on May 5, 1932. This business plan aims to fulfill the mission to create an ideal society with affluence both in matter and mind over 250 years, divided into ten successive phases of 25 years.
When people try to create something based on existing facts, they seek various facts that provide a basis. They may spend much time during the process or overlook something in certain circumstances. If hallucinations*7 are reduced with further advances in generative AI, people can expect work efficiency and accuracy to dramatically improve. Under this assumption, Kusumi believes it is essential for the Panasonic Group to evolve and transform its business efficiency and scope by using AI technology, which is advancing at a tremendous pace, and to expand AI use for customer touchpoints and solutions provided by Panasonic.
*7: A phenomenon where non-existent or incorrect information is generated due to errors or incompleteness in learning data, or excessive context-based speculation.
Kusumi went on to say that there are two key points in promoting Panasonic Go. One is to develop AI orchestration*8 and agents*9 in-house, and quickly establish the necessary expertise. The other is to maintain customer confidence in the Panasonic Group and uphold corporate ethics without fail. Therefore, the Panasonic Group needs to differentiate its solutions from those of competitors by using large language models (LLMs) in combination with small language models (SLMs), thus improving its capabilities to offer information that satisfies customers.
*8: A technology or methodology that integrates multiple AI models and algorithms to ensure seamless functionality.
*9: AI systems that autonomously create and systematically execute the tasks that must be completed to achieve a specific goal.

Wayne Usie, CSO of Blue Yonder
Kusumi mentioned in his keynote that the Panasonic Group has invested over 10 billion dollars in North America for the acquisition of Blue Yonder, a supply chain solutions provider, and platform development aimed at expanding AI usage within the Group. He also declared that the Group will promote Panasonic Go based on these initiatives. The Panasonic Group is committed to using Blue Yonder’s solutions for their supply chain needs throughout the organization. And Blue Yonder's solutions are among the businesses expected to play a leading role in Panasonic Go. Currently, Blue Yonder makes over 20 billion AI predictions daily. Kusumi believes that further improvement of demand predictions, in particular, holds the key to success.
After Kusumi's keynote, Wayne Usie, Chief Strategy Officer of Blue Yonder, also made an appearance. He emphasized that the company has built autonomous supply chains by combining predictive and generative AI to unlock the value in data. He confidently stated, "You can expect to see a lot more AI-driven innovations as we continue to create smarter, safer, and more sustainable solutions for the global supply chain through Panasonic Go."
Next, Yoky Matsuoka, Executive Officer of Panasonic Holdings Corporation and Panasonic Well Director, announced the planned US launch of Umi, a comprehensive digital family wellness platform and coach for supporting families through an app.

Announcement of Umi, a digital family wellness platform and coach

Daniela Amodei, Co-founder and President of Anthropic
In promoting Panasonic Go, it is essential to implement co-creation initiatives with promising partners in each domain. In the keynote, Kusumi announced a global strategic partnership with Anthropic, an AI research company in the US. Anthropic shares Panasonic's belief in valuing AI ethics, emphasizing that AI must be safe, understandable, and designed to deeply align with human values.
Details of Matsuoka's speech on Panasonic Well, Umi, and the partnership with Anthropic will be featured next week.
Then, Kusumi declared that Panasonic will expand AI-driven hardware, software, and solution businesses to approximately 30% of its revenue by 2035. Setting such an ambitious target represents his strong belief that the Panasonic Group will become a "fossil" if it fails to adapt to the evolution of AI technology and to transform this technology into one of the Group's strengths.
Kusumi concluded the keynote by stating, "The Panasonic Group's commitment to a sustainable planet is unwavering. And with AI-led solutions and Panasonic Go, we will pioneer the transformations that have a powerful and positive impact on society." The Panasonic Group aims to continuously and fully leverage evolving technologies to contribute to a healthy, comfortable, and safe life for people everywhere, thus enhancing societal sustainability while working toward an ideal society with affluence both in matter and mind.
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Please note that German, French and Chinese versions are machine translations, so the quality and accuracy may vary.