Speakers

Dr. Hiroaki Kanokogi is a recognized leader in AI and digital transformation for industry, known for his practical, results-oriented approach. He holds a Ph.D. from the University of Tokyo and worked at Microsoft before joining Yokogawa in 2007. He is best known for co-creating FKDPP—the world’s first reinforcement learning AI to autonomously control complex plants—advancing both productivity and sustainability, e.g. achieving a 40% reduction in steam usage at a chemical plant. This achievement was honored with the prestigious Prime Minister’s Industry Technical Award (2023) in Japan. As the author of a book titled “Achieving AI First with Strong AI” (2025), Dr. Kanokogi advocates for integrating AI across plant operations and enterprise systems to deliver measurable business value.