A workshop run by Conant Optical in Qidong, Nantong. [Photo/WeChat account: qidongfabu]

Conant Optical in Qidong is accelerating its shift toward artificial intelligence-powered intelligent manufacturing, redefining how traditional eyewear is designed and produced.

Driven by its operational needs, the company has developed AI applications by collecting vast amounts of production data, feeding it into AI systems for learning, and repeatedly testing solutions on production lines until achieving stable, mature deployment.

"The eyewear company of the future will no longer be just a manufacturer, but an AI-driven intelligent enterprise," said Lu Yuan, deputy general manager of Conant Optical. According to Lu, integrating AI into manufacturing means digitizing time-consuming, labor-intensive processes, identifying optimal solutions, and applying them to real production to achieve comprehensive cost reduction and efficiency gains.

From mold clamping and material casting to product inspection, every step in the production chain requires intelligent optimization. With AI-based processing technologies, the company can maintain stable quality control and reduce material loss — in some cases, outperforming even highly experienced technicians.

Already known in the traditional eyewear sector for its wide product range and rapid market responsiveness, Conant Optical has further expanded its market reach after more than two years of mature AI-driven operations. The company's push into AI-powered eyewear has opened up new business opportunities, and newly launched products have received strong market recognition.

The results have been substantial: labor costs decreased by 50 percent, production efficiency rose 50 percent, energy consumption was reduced by 30 percent, and overall production capacity doubled.