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Huawei's Li Peng Discusses Transformative Impact of 5G-A and AI at MWC 2026

At the Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona 2026, Li Peng, Huawei's Senior Vice President and President of ICT Sales & Service, shared innovative insights on the future of telecommunications. His keynote speech outlined how carriers can leverage the combined power of 5G-A and AI to navigate towards a new era termed the 'agentic Internet'.

A Shift in Paradigm

Li emphasized the evolution from traditional connectivity towards a more complex ecosystem where networks not only facilitate human communication but also connect vast numbers of agents—machines, services, and devices that communicate independently. This transition to the agentic Internet marks a potential market expansion worth ten trillion dollars, presenting new avenues for value creation and monetization in telecommunications.

In recent years, the mobile industry has made significant strides from 4G to 5G, with the introduction of 5G-A by several carriers. As network capabilities enhance, they enable a growing array of intelligent applications across various devices. Li stated, "This year marks our entry into the agentic Internet era, establishing a framework where connectivity evolves dramatically to support the increasing interactions among agents."

The implications for telecommunications are profound, as Li predicted this transformation will necessitate carriers to redefine their value propositions. Instead of merely focusing on traffic, the emphasis will shift towards high-value service offerings that enhance user experience and capitalize on AI technology.

New Business Models Emerge

Over the past seven years since the commercialization of 5G, over 300 global carriers have begun monetizing traffic with innovative service packages. As 5G continues to mature, experience monetization becomes crucial for customer retention and revenue growth. Li noted that 5G SA and 5G-A provide diversified network resources that have enabled numerous carriers to launch new service packages focused on user experience.

Dynamic resource scheduling is essential. Carriers can now provide deterministic experiences, which are superior to the traditional 'best-effort' services. This guarantees high-quality network performance, especially at critical times. Examples include custom logo displays and speed boosts that directly enhance user perception and satisfaction.

The Role of AI in Transformation

AI's integration into telecommunications offers transformative potential across various customer service areas, according to Li. He discussed three primary segments benefiting from AI innovations:

1. Consumer Services: The incorporation of AI into traditional calling services can unlock valuable features like transcription, language translation, and virtual assistants. Countries like China and South Korea are leading in commercial AI applications, with many carriers already launching AI-enabled devices to improve B2C service offerings.

2. Home Services: In the domain of smart homes, AI is facilitating improvements in broadband offerings and enhancing functionalities. Through AI, carriers enable faster and more reliable internet connections for critical activities such as gaming and live-streaming, optimizing network settings through voice commands, and even creating family albums using AI-enhanced storage solutions.

3. Business Solutions: In industrial applications, the blend of 5G-A and AI is poised to revolutionize production processes. AI-enabled systems can respond to demand changes swiftly and streamline manufacturing outputs, significantly enhancing operational efficiencies.

Future Outlook

Looking beyond the current advancements, Li provided a roadmap for carriers to explore untapped opportunities within the 5G-A and AI realms. He suggested that:

• - Carriers evolve all their services and devices to leverage 5G-A, fostering a vibrant ecosystem.
• - AI should be infused into operational areas, supporting diversification in service offerings.
• - Intelligence integration into telecommunications infrastructure is vital for adapting to future network developments.

Li concluded by highlighting Huawei's readiness to collaborate with carriers in maximizing the potential of 5G-A and AI. With a multi-agent collaboration platform, Huawei aims to facilitate this shift toward becoming AI service providers. MWC Barcelona serves as a pivotal venue, showcasing Huawei’s commitment to advancing telecommunications technology.

As the industry readies itself for the commercial adoption of 5G-A, Huawei is at the forefront, actively nurturing relationships with carriers to build intelligent networks and services that will define the future of connectivity. The conference will run from March 2 to March 5, with Huawei presenting its latest innovations to the global audience at stand 1H50 in Fira Gran Via Hall 1.

For more insights, visit Huawei's event page.