Kazuhiro Kusunoki joined Mitsubishi Electric in 1988 and has over 20 years of experience in R&D of networks and distributed systems. He has also led the development of e-F@ctory solutions (Mitsubishi Electric’s Digital Manufacturing concept) and FA networks such as CC-Link IE. Working at Nagoya Works, the mother factory of the company’s FA products and solutions, Kusunoki’s contribution to shaping the future of automation has been far reaching. Since 2019, he has been leading the company’s Information Technology R&D Center. The Center is the core corporate department conducting R&D in the areas of artificial intelligence (AI), security and other information technologies, media intelligence, electro-optics microwave, and communication technologies.