A forward-looking, dynamic and thriving vision of a global recycling industry supported by generative artificial intelligence (AI) was set out at the Bureau of International Recycling’s World Recycling Convention in Singapore. On 28 October, at the event’s Opening Session chaired by BIR President Susie Burrage OBE, the huge potential to recyclers of ground-breaking uses of AI was the theme of the keynote address from Dr Ayesha Khanna, Co-Founder and CEO of Addo, a global AI solutions firm based in Singapore, on 28 October.
Her overwhelming message was that generative AI is being adopted faster than any previous new technology and recyclers
“had no choice but to embrace the AI revolution or be left behind”.
She quoted a recent Bank of America report that investment in AI over five years by large companies could boost operating profit margins by 2%.
“That may not seem like much but it adds up to billions of dollars annually. I really want to emphasise that, in the long run, it's a game changer.”
Quoting several examples of AI use by globally known companies, Dr Khanna said their CEOs were now talking about the technology in terms of results – noting that generative AI is 80% cheaper than it was 16 months ago. Tesla was leading the way with robots costing US$ 20,000. “That's the world we're entering into and even these costs are going to go down further.”
For BIR members, she explained, this could mean computer vision systems identifying and sorting electronic components, robotic arms dismantling devices and automated robots extracting lithium batteries. AI was also changing “ambient” technology such as intelligent glasses with microphones and cameras.
"You can do on-the-job training so that new employees receive instant guidance. You can do automated reporting, where somebody's walking around with the glasses and recording [inventory], or giving you live feedback according to the standards of your industry. It's exciting to be in this era now.”
Collaborate to win
Leaders of recycling companies were urged to think about the implications and share their learning and experiences.
“I would encourage you [to get together] as a group and just brainstorm. Every industry is looking for its own use cases.
"It's an incredible opportunity but you must do it with proper risk management, or you could lose trust or have liability and you won't have the success you're capable of seeing otherwise.”
Dr Khanna spoke openly of the risks of AI, and mentioned phishing, deep fakes and the danger of vital company data being “poisoned” by hackers. But she insisted the tools were available to overcome such challenges.
“I have an AI consulting firm so if anyone should be afraid, it should be me. But I'm very confident. I'm excited about it, because this means my business is going to grow.”
She also talked about the need for regulation.
“In every country, they are realising that AI is the only way to give their company a head start so they can be more competitive. But in order to do that, they must be regulated, because you have to stop companies from manipulating through AI.”
Those who thought Governments always lagged behind were wrong, the speaker asserted. “Governments have smart people. In the United States, President Biden has said every federal agency needs to have a chief AI officer because of this precise reason.
“I would encourage all of you to upskill yourselves to work with AI. You don't need to learn coding. You just need to learn how to work with AI.”
Record membership
The BIR Convention attracted more than 1,200 delegates representing over 570 companies in 59 countries. They were welcomed by President Susie Burrage OBE, of Recycled Products Ltd, UK, in her introductory speech, where she pointed out that Singapore was an important destination for BIR to hold the event, not only because Asia is a significant consumer of recycled materials but also because of the growing number of members from the continent.
She announced that “for the first time in our history”, BIR boasts more than 1,100 members from 73 countries.
“As our membership continues to grow, so does our collective influence, benefiting the industry as a whole,” Ms Burrage said. “Our great advocacy team has been working on many fronts, in particular on the Global Plastics Treaty and producing our third position paper, this time on international trade.”
She listed an array of initiatives now underway. They include a new service to corporate members, the BIR Business Digest, with the first issue providing guidance on the implementation of the EU waste shipments regulation. A comprehensive environmental study of recycling was being prepared, as was a series of videos on the London Metal Exchange as part of the new BIR Academy. Ms Burrage also mentioned the second issue of the organisation’s The Recyclist magazine which had contributed to “significantly expanding our visibility across our industry and beyond”.