Wei Bridge CIO Ma Fahong: AI empowerment is a marathon, definitely not a "sprint"

On August 25, at the DingTalk 10th Anniversary and AI Diamond 1.0 New Product Launch Conference, Ma Fahong, Director of Information Center at Shandong Weiqiao Pioneering Group, delivered a keynote speech titled "From Manufacturing to Smart Manufacturing: AI Innovation in Traditional Industries."

As Shandong's largest private enterprise and a manufacturing giant with over 100,000 employees, Weiqiao Group has seen frontline workers independently develop more than 800 AI applications on DingTalk within just two months—sparking an unprecedented "AI for All" movement.

From Tool to Gateway: DingTalk Becomes the Cornerstone of Intelligent Transformation

Weiqiao first adopted DingTalk in 2023, initially using it for attendance tracking and OA approvals. As teams deepened their use of features like DingTalk Docs, Meetings, and AI Assistant, confidence grew in DingTalk as the "gateway to future intelligent applications." In early 2025, Weiqiao made a strategic decision to fully embrace AI by establishing DingTalk as the unified digital entry point for all employees.

Three Foundational Projects Rapidly Implemented, Laying the Groundwork for Intelligence

Following this strategic upgrade, Weiqiao swiftly completed three core infrastructure projects: migrating 100,000 employee accounts to the enterprise version in under three weeks; deploying DingTalk with private storage to meet the stringent data security requirements of large-scale manufacturers; and introducing and locally deploying the DingTalk AI Application Platform, paving the way for future innovation.

Organizational Transformation: IT Role Evolution and the Rise of "Digital Intelligence Officers"

With the foundation in place, the real journey toward building an intelligent organization began. Ma Fahong highlighted the central challenge and solution in digital transformation—the complete redefinition of the IT department’s role. "We are no longer 'technical implementers' who do everything ourselves," she said. "Instead, we must become 'digital tool operators' and 'coaches for all.'" She emphasized that the biggest obstacle lies in the communication gap between technical and business departments.

To bridge this divide, Weiqiao innovatively introduced a new role—"Digital Intelligence Officer"—within production and business units. "They are carefully selected talent," Ma explained. "Strong in business, equipped with IT thinking, and proactively eager to learn." These officers quickly became "super connectors" across departments, laying the organizational groundwork for an explosion of AI applications.

Quantity First, Then Quality: Launching the "AI for All" Movement

Facing AI empowerment as a marathon rather than a sprint, Weiqiao launched a bold action plan: "Pursue quantity first, then quality." "We encourage all 100,000 employees to get involved, everyone becoming both developers and users of AI," Ma explained. "Even if an application only improves efficiency slightly, it is meaningful."

This strategy of lowering barriers and encouraging experimentation aims to rapidly gather insights from real-world business scenarios. Within three months, employees had spontaneously created over 800 AI assistants. At the event, Ma shared three standout examples that emerged from this flood of innovations.

Three Flagship Applications Created by Frontline Workers

Cui, an electrolysis worker, independently developed an AI assistant to query fast-sample test data from electrolytic cells. Workers no longer need to go to the office to check computers—they can instantly access critical production data right on the shop floor.

Ma, a technician from the equipment department, integrated all company safety regulations into a knowledge base. By leveraging the AI-powered image recognition capability of DingTalk AI Tables, he enabled automatic identification of safety hazards via photo uploads, automatic record generation, task assignment, and closed-loop tracking—greatly improving inspection efficiency and hazard resolution rates. The data collected further enriches the knowledge base, creating a positive feedback loop.

The "IT Center AI Assistant," built by the Information Center, has become a super troubleshooter. Previously, a team of fewer than 60 people managed optimization and maintenance for nearly 400 business systems. Now, this AI assistant handles service requests online in real time, automatically resolving 50% of IT issues. This frees up engineers to focus on complex problems. The entire issue-resolution process is now fully automated and traceable, boosting team efficiency by 70% and significantly increasing employee satisfaction.

From Quantity to Quality: Advancing Toward Group-Level "Star Applications"

The surge in applications naturally revealed high-frequency, high-value use cases. "Seeking quantity first efficiently identified these key scenarios," Ma noted. Moving forward, Weiqiao will build on this volume to pursue quality—concentrating resources to refine high-value applications into group-level "90-point star applications."

"AI empowerment is a marathon, not a 100-meter dash," Ma emphasized in closing. "It requires patience, tolerance for error, and above all, the ability to unlock every individual's creativity. At Weiqiao, 100,000 industrial workers are using their hands to redefine the intelligent future of manufacturing." This digital revolution, powered by the DingTalk platform and driven by全员 participation, is not only reshaping how Weiqiao works but also cultivating powerful new momentum for intelligent upgrading within the soil of traditional manufacturing.

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