INNOVATION 创新科技 24 | JNA January/February 2025 The Gemological Institute of America (GIA) is continuously honing its expertise as one of the most renowned and innovative gemmological institutions in the trade, and over the coming years, new initiatives will centre on coloured gemstones, jewellery grading, education and traceability. JNA sits down with GIA Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Pritesh Patel to talk about business development and direction in 2025 aimed at further fortifying consumer confidence in the industry. JNA: Which core areas is GIA focusing on in 2025 and why? Pritesh Patel: We have been doing coloured gemstone grading for a long time, but we are focusing more on this sector now given the rising demand for coloured gemstones. We are introducing new services like our Jade Grading Report that was rolled out in 2024. We will launch a new look and feel to our grading reports soon. There is also jewellery grading. A couple of years ago, we started offering jewellery verification services in the US in partnership with eBay. This service is similarly available in the UK, and we are looking to expand to Japan, India and other countries, and collaborate not just with eBay but other platforms as well. Educating retailers around the world alongside traceability are also significant aspects of our strategy. JNA: How critical are technological advancements like artificial intelligence (AI) to modern gemmology? Patel: Technology continues to play a vital role in our operations as it has for many decades. Our primary focus is on research and innovation. We use technology in treatment detection and instrumentation in our grading services. Meanwhile, AI and machine learning help drive consistency and reliability in grading to further enhance efficiency and consumer confidence. However, there is still a human aspect that will remain in the grading process. In general, there are more opportunities than drawbacks to using AI. For instance, there are new evolving treatments being developed every day, which is a threat to the industry. The way GIA looks at it is that graders can use the technology to assist them and help develop new skills sets so we can go into different categories such as coloured gemstones. We use machine learning for origin determination in coloured gemstones. JNA: What is next for GIA? What new initiatives can we expect from GIA onwards? Patel: GIA is a mission-focused organisation, and our mandate is to protect the consumer in multiple ways. Development and innovation begin with research, which drives everything that we do at GIA. We apply a huge chunk of our knowledge and expertise into education and | Bernardette Sto. Domingo 杜明高 | The Gemological Institute of America (GIA) is focusing heavily on four key strategies moving forward as the institute remains steadfast in fostering trust and confidence in the global jewellery industry. GIA美国宝石研究院集中推行四项关键策略，以增 强环球珠宝业界的信心。 Exploring the next frontier of growth GIA致力探索增长领域 GIA:
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