Nowadays, it is hard to define an Internet company with a clear definition, because almost all Internet companies are undergoing a new evolution from virtual to real.

If there is a summary of this state of development, I think the industrial Internet is perhaps the most appropriate. However, it is obviously not comprehensive if the Internet company’s transition from virtual to real is regarded as the whole of the industrial Internet. Outside the Internet market, we also see a new transformation from real to virtual, which is taking place on the players represented by the traditional industry. Obviously, we also see this state of development as another expression of the industrial Internet.

It can be seen that it is not comprehensive to interpret and express the industrial Internet only by taking it from virtual to real or from real to virtual. Only by taking into account these two development states, and looking at and interpreting industrial Internet in these two development states, can the development of industrial Internet be brought to a new stage of development. Starting from this, the industrial Internet can completely get rid of the predicament of just staying on the concept and truly enter a new stage of development.

Industrial Internet, a convergence, not fragmentation

When the concept of the industrial Internet was proposed, what we saw was that many players simply saw it as an Internet player-led existence. For the vast majority of real economy players, they play more of a role of being transformed and empowered. On the face of it, there is nothing wrong with such a way of developing industrial Internet. However, in-depth analysis, we will find that such a kind of understanding and view of the industrial Internet, in fact, is biased.

If the analysis of this way of looking at the industrial Internet and the error of the method, will still be the virtual economy and the real economy opposite, separated to look at, is undoubtedly the most important aspect. Therefore, rather than regard the industrial Internet at such a stage as a brand new existence, it is still the continuation of the Internet, still using the traditional Internet model to implement and practice the industrial Internet. It is clear that such a development pattern cannot last.

To solve this problem, we must abandon the traditional Internet model and method dominated by division and opposition, and really stand in the perspective of integration to think and look at the industrial Internet. To put it simply, virtual economy and real economy is not a question of who transforms who, nor who destroys who, but how to find the way and method of deep integration of the two. Only by realizing the deep integration of virtual economy and real economy, and constructing the new connection between virtual economy and real economy, can the industrial Internet in the real sense be realized.

In this process, what we need is for virtual economy players to pay more attention to the connotation and meaning of the real economy; What we need is for real economy players to pay more attention to exploring and practicing the virtual economy. Finally, the achievement is that virtual economy and real economy deep integration of a state of development. Only by truly realizing such a state of integration can industrial Internet be truly realized.

Industrial Internet, a transmutation, not reconstruction

The fixed thinking of the consumer Internet model makes players take it for granted that the so-called industrial Internet is just a process of reconstructing production relations. For industrial Internet players, they just need to reconstruct the traditional sense of production relations. It is under the influence of this kind of thinking that we see the emergence of many seemingly new species represented by new retail.

Take new retail as an example, its most fundamental feature is to reconstruct the relationship among the three elements: people, goods and market. It has to be said that by reconstructing the relationship between the three elements of human, goods and farm, there is indeed a certain dividend of development. However, if it is simply restructured without the transformation and evolution of the three elements of people, goods and field, then such a restructuring, in the final analysis, is to attract users and traffic, rather than to transform the industry itself.

From this point of view, the new retail represented by the reconstruction of the three elements of people, goods and field is not the industrial Internet in the real sense. It is still the continuation of the consumer Internet. Only by truly treating industrial Internet as a process of evolution can we truly grasp the essence and primitive meaning of industrial Internet.

In the author’s opinion, the industrial Internet in the real sense should include the deep transformation of production factors within the industry. On the basis of such a deep transformation, new elements are generated, and on the basis of the new elements, the traditional production relations have also undergone a profound and thorough change. Industrial Internet can only be completed and realized when the players of industrial Internet really make the factors of production and production relations of the industry itself have a deep and thorough change.

When the industrial Internet lacks evolution and only blindly reconstructs, then, even with new concepts, such concepts and modes still cannot achieve long-term development, and still cannot fundamentally solve the pain points and problems of industrial development. This is the fundamental reason why so many industrial Internet players we have seen in the past have been unable to grasp the essence and meaning of the industrial Internet.

Industrial Internet, a new life, not life

The author believes that the key to truly measure the industrial Internet is whether there are new industries, rather than whether there are new dividend release. In other words, when the players of the industrial Internet fail to spawn new industries, the so-called industrial Internet is still simply a continuation of the traditional development model. Therefore, the industrial Internet should not only be viewed from the perspective of scale and efficiency in the style of consumer Internet, but should be considered from the perspective of the emergence and evolution of new industries.

Even though the concept of the industrial Internet has been around for years, and even though so many industrial Internet players have jumped into the industrial Internet flood, we have seen very few industrial Internet players stand out. One of the most fundamental reasons is that they have not really spawned new industries, but have simply gone further and further in terms of scale and efficiency. While the players of the industrial Internet pursue scale and efficiency as the ultimate pursuit, the so-called industrial Internet is just a simple continuation of the life of the consumer Internet.

Whether it is a flash in the pan of new retail, or still a lot of players highly valued live delivery, basically is such a category. When the players of the industrial Internet do not have new industrial derivatives and emergence, when the players of the industrial Internet do not have new production elements derivatives and emergence, then the so-called industrial Internet is still only for the survival of the consumer Internet.

When the players of the industrial Internet have new industries, when the players of the industrial Internet have new factors of production, the industrial Internet is really entering its development cycle. Otherwise, the so-called industrial Internet, is still just a virtual concept, wait until the tuyere has passed, everything will start again.

conclusion

In the final analysis, it is due to the development of the industrial Internet, which has entered the deep water. It is foreseeable that with the development of the industrial Internet gradually deepens, we will see more similar phenomena. I think this is what the industrial Internet should look like. The so-called industrial Internet is not just a simple copy of the consumer Internet, but a whole new species.

When we really stand in the perspective of industrial Internet to look at the industrial Internet, when we really use the connotation and significance of industrial Internet to interpret the industrial Internet, the development of industrial Internet can really enter its own development cycle. With this as the beginning, the industrial Internet can evolve and make a difference.