The session featured a diverse group of speakers from utilities, manufacturers, IT companies, and the construction sector. While their positions differed, a common theme emerged: a clear commitment to transforming long-standing structural challenges in the industry.
At the outset, SAWA Madoka, President of Ensow Inc. and Professor at the Faculty of Entrepreneurship, Musashino University, moderated the session, guiding discussions on how digital technologies can reshape the nuclear workforce and operational practices.
Ayhan YILDIZ, Director of the Nuclear and Thermal Digital Transformation Department at EDF, explained that EDF is moving away from document-based information management toward a data-driven approach. By rebuilding its digital infrastructure using cloud technologies and AI, the company aims to enhance operational efficiency and improve decision-making.
OSAKA Masaaki of Hitachi Ltd presented an approach combining knowledge management and AI to address the challenge of transferring technical expertise. By systematizing knowledge that has traditionally depended on experienced personnel, the company is moving toward practical implementation.
CHIBA Yuki of NEC Corporation cautioned against a technology-first mindset. While AI offers broad applicability, its value depends on clearly defining its purpose. He noted a growing divide between companies that successfully utilize AI and those that do not.
From the construction sector, MURAKAMI Rikuta, Chairman of the Construction RX Consortium and Senior Advisor & Executive Fellow at Takenaka Corporation, emphasized the importance of cross-industry collaboration. Rather than developing technologies in isolation, companies are increasingly working together to implement robotics and digital solutions.
Speakers from Westinghouse Electric Company and The Nuclear Company highlighted the complexity of nuclear construction and workforce constraints. Lou MARTINEZ SANCHO, Chief Technology Officer of Westinghouse, stressed that “people remain at the center,” even in an era of advanced technology. Sumantra GHOSH emphasized that the core challenge lies in project execution and the transfer of experience.
Although the approaches varied, all pointed toward a common direction: transforming the underlying structure of the industry—from document-based operations to data utilization, from tacit knowledge to structured knowledge, and from fragmented optimization to system-wide optimization.
However, many of these efforts remain in progress. Technologies are only beginning to be adopted in practice, and results remain uneven. The industry is clearly moving forward—but it is still in transition.
What ultimately drives implementation?
It was in this context that moderator Sawa delivered the most striking message of the session.
“No matter how good the plan or system is, nothing moves forward without human determination.”
He went on to elaborate, referring to Murakami’s remarks on collaborative innovation:
“It comes down to what Mr. Murakami said—being able to find it interesting, to enjoy it.”
Sawa stressed that transformation does not happen simply because technologies are introduced or systems are designed. What determines whether change takes root is whether people choose to engage with it—not as a burden, but as something they actively take ownership of.
He also addressed the issue of social acceptance in nuclear energy, noting that “people fear what they do not understand.” Expanding understanding through communication and shared knowledge is therefore essential. Reflecting on his own position, Sawa remarked that he had now become a “stakeholder” in nuclear energy, underscoring the importance of involving a broader range of people and expanding the community.
Transformation has begun—what comes next
The session made clear that transformation in the nuclear industry is already underway. Companies are taking concrete steps to address long-standing challenges. Yet embedding these changes into daily operations and making them sustainable will require continued effort.
Ultimately, it is not technology alone that will determine success. It is people—their mindset, their engagement, and their willingness to take ownership.
And as Sawa’s remarks made clear, the driving force behind that transformation may be something surprisingly simple: the ability to embrace challenges with a sense of purpose—and even enjoyment.
The digital transformation of the nuclear industry is progressing steadily. The real test lies in whether it can be carried forward by people.
