Liao Zengtai: Wanhua, the "Elephant," Continues to Dance

Liao Zengtai, Chairman of Wanhua Chemical Group, has long envisioned the company as a leader in AI applications—a vision now steadily materializing.

In late last year, Liao described Wanhua’s reform path as "making an elephant dance." Today, amid dual challenges of growth and transformation, his strategy extends beyond innovation and management excellence to include AI empowerment.

Liao identifies AI and new energy as the twin engines of the future global economy. Wanhua has proactively integrated AI across its product lines and management systems to maintain a competitive edge.

On the R&D front, Wanhua has deployed AI in 29 pilot scenarios, spanning catalysts, EOD (Ecology-Oriented Development) products, electronic materials, synthetic biology, battery materials, and analytical testing. AI-driven upgrades in manufacturing—such as time-series modeling, unmanned inspections, quality prediction, and precision equipment maintenance—have enhanced efficiency, quality, and cost-effectiveness.

Management-wise, Liao emphasizes cultivating "super employees"—individuals adept at AI collaboration. Wanhua now prioritizes AI proficiency in recruitment and training, with 30% of talent dedicated to AI-related projects.

**AI Transformation** Wanhua’s AI journey began in 2018, predating the broader AI boom. Partnering with Shanghai Jiao Tong University, it developed an intelligent control system for catalytic reactions, boosting product yield by 1% (worth ~$500,000).

In 2022, inspired by Google’s AlphaFold2, Wanhua launched two AI pilot projects, achieving rapid success. AI now accelerates tasks like chemical reaction screening and catalyst experiments, compressing years of manual trials into months.

By 2024, Wanhua declared a "Digital Intelligence Year," leveraging AI to optimize operations and sustain competitive advantages.

**Super Employees & Future Plans** Liao’s "super employee" concept envisions workers mastering AI collaboration. Wanhua trains staff in AI fundamentals and recruits specialists to lead its AI Application R&D Center.

Next year, Wanhua will launch three core initiatives: Data Engineering, Knowledge Engineering, and Model Engineering—aimed at embedding AI into its innovation DNA.

Liao asserts that AI is not merely a tool but a transformative force, critical for technological leapfrogging. His ambition for Wanhua to lead in AI applications is steadily becoming reality.