Unleashing the Power of 5.5G and AI to Lead the Mobile AI Era at MBBF

The Global Mobile Broadband Forum 2024 (MBBF 2024) took place in Istanbul, marking a pivotal moment for the mobile industry as it embarks on the convergence of 5.5G and artificial intelligence (AI).

With a theme centred on “5.5G Leads Mobile AI Era,” this year’s forum attracted over a thousand mobile network carriers, technology partners, and industry leaders who gathered to discuss the strategies and innovations that will drive the future of mobile AI.

Since its inception, MBBF has served as a premier platform for industry leaders, innovators, and visionaries to shape the future of mobile communications. Highlighting pivotal transformations from 3G to 4G, then 5G, MBBF has set the stage for next-generation technologies, and this year it enters a new chapter by focusing on the Mobile AI era. This shift highlights 5.5G’s enhanced capabilities, which build upon previous networks to deliver the high performance and agility required for AI-driven applications and real-time interactions.

5.5G represents a fundamental evolution over 5G, specifically crafted to meet the rigorous demands of AI. Its ultra-low latency ensures near-instantaneous communication, essential for real-time applications like autonomous vehicles and immersive extended reality (XR). Enhanced uplink speeds allow devices to transmit data to the network more efficiently, meeting the needs of AI applications that rely on rapid processing in the cloud. Additionally, 5.5G’s capacity to manage vast data flows facilitates the expansion of AI and IoT devices, enabling complex functions to operate seamlessly. Designed with AI integration at its core, 5.5G networks enable intelligent network management, predictive maintenance, and optimised performance, making AI-powered services more accessible and efficient.

Huawei, a central player in this forum, highlighted the critical objectives for the industry: building robust networks and fostering ecosystem collaboration to unlock the full potential of 5.5G and AI. “In the future, AI will change everything. Everyone will be able to use it, anytime and anywhere. Mobile networks and devices will play an important role to make that happen, just like what we have done to enable telephones and mobile Internet as a universal service,” said Ken Hu, Huawei’s Rotating Chairman.

Hu emphasised that for AI to thrive, network infrastructure must rise to meet the increased demands. “If we want to make AI available anytime, anywhere – and make it a viable business model – we need to upgrade network capabilities,” he explained. These advancements will empower diverse sectors, from enabling real-time machine learning in factories to supporting the needs of autonomous vehicles.

MBBF 2024 also showcased Huawei’s efforts to foster collaborative innovation through the 5.5G and AI OpenLab, launched in partnership with GTI. This platform serves as a collaborative space for operators, technology providers, and industry players to explore new applications and business models. With AI-powered smart devices, intelligent network solutions, and AI-enabled infrastructure on display, the forum provided attendees with a comprehensive view of what the Mobile AI era holds.

Participants experienced Huawei’s 5.5G network capabilities firsthand, with continuous coverage provided throughout the event venues, underscoring the real-world potential of 5.5G’s high-speed, low-latency infrastructure. Showcased innovations included AI-powered glasses, intelligent cockpits, digital human interactions, and AI-driven content generation, demonstrating how 5.5G and AI will redefine experiences across personal and industrial domains.

As the industry stands at this transformative juncture, MBBF 2024 reaffirmed Huawei’s commitment to pushing the boundaries of technology, ensuring networks are ready to support the ever-expanding possibilities of AI applications. “In this city where East meets West, we’re at a critical point where mobile meets AI,” Hu concluded. “If we work together, we can find the best path forward.”

This year’s MBBF is not just a forum but a launchpad for the Mobile AI era, bringing together industry stakeholders to define the future of mobile communications and unlocking new opportunities through the power of 5.5G and AI.

Image Credit: Huawei