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Li Peng Discusses 5G Network Value Maximization with AI

At the Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona 2025, Li Peng, the Corporate Senior Vice President and President of ICT Sales and Service at Huawei, delivered a keynote speech emphasizing how operators can leverage artificial intelligence (AI) to unlock the full value of their networks. In his address, he projected that the synergy between 5G Advanced (5G-A) and AI technologies will drive double-digit growth in both Data Usage (DOU) and Average Revenue Per User (ARPU) in mobile subscriptions.

Li stated, "We are rapidly entering a fully intelligent world. Intelligent applications are proliferating, creating new demands on networks. By adopting and developing 5G, we can unleash the infinite potential of mobile networks. Huawei stands ready and willing to collaborate with operators and industry partners worldwide to promote digital enablement, strengthen the foundations of the network, and make AI accessible to everyone. Together, we can shape the DNA of an intelligent world."

As AI evolves, so too does the interaction between humans and machines (HMI). Li noted that this evolution has moved from simple text-based communications to voice, gesture, and multimodal interactions. As a result, HMI has become more practical and real-time than ever, generating a wave of innovative applications. For instance, users can interact more naturally with their devices through AI-powered voice assistants. On cloud phones, AI-based avatars can provide visual feedback, offering a more personalized experience for services such as health monitoring and making mobile experiences far more accessible and productive across different user groups.

However, to support such applications, networks must ensure guaranteed latency, necessitating a continuous transition from Non-Standalone 5G (5G NSA) to Standalone 5G (5G SA) and ultimately to 5G-A. Operators may also adopt innovative technologies like Control and User Plane Separation (CUPS) and Guaranteed Bit Rate (GBR) to reduce baseline latency and ensure differentiated, deterministic latency for specific scenarios. Li highlighted the increasing expectations for upload and download speeds due to AI-enabled content production and distribution. For example, Artificial Intelligence Generated Content (AIGC) technology can generate one-hour long 2D and 3D videos with a single click. Furthermore, AI-driven recommendations are more targeted than ever, allowing for personalized content distribution to a broader online audience.

These trends are set to increase network traffic over the next five years, leading to unprecedented demands on networks. To keep up, operators will require more spectrum, increased network capacity, and significantly broader uplink and downlink bandwidth. Li emphasized that the various AI services would necessitate network coverage focused on the user experience. Both AI-based cloud services and mobile devices are making intelligent services increasingly accessible, driving demand for experience-centric network coverage. Third-party data predicts that by 2030, over a billion people will be using AI-enabled cloud phones, each needing swift access to cloud computing power. Moreover, smart applications in vehicles will necessitate comprehensive coverage in urban areas, highways, and rural locations to ensure seamless and reliable mobility experiences.

Looking ahead, continuous advancements in network implementation will be required, from a rapid rollout of 5G NSA to 5G SA for a smoother indoor/outdoor experience, and ultimately to 5G-A networks focused on user experience. This progression will aid operators in extending their network coverage and ensuring an integrated experience for billions of new connections for individuals as well as hundreds of billions of new IoT connections.

Li highlighted that the increasing complexity of networks would guide the evolution toward application-oriented management (OM). The demands for more complex application scenarios and a diverse range of experience requirements will drive a shift from traditional resource-oriented OM approaches. Some companies are already developing AI-based OM systems that can utilize digital twins to predict user-specific needs, cutting down service market launch times from days to minutes. For network maintenance, self-learning AI agents can predict and localize faults in mere seconds, boosting troubleshooting efficiency by up to 30%. Additionally, digital sandboxes can simulate real application traffic, allowing AI agents to analyze traffic patterns and optimize networks around the clock, tailored to the needs of applications.

Li continued, stating that new network capabilities are paving the way for innovative business models. Operators can go beyond merely monetizing traffic and start monetizing the experience itself. Currently, operators worldwide are actively exploring new ways to capitalize on experience monetization based on factors such as speed, latency, and VIP advantages. They are launching personalized services targeted at business travelers, live streaming enthusiasts, and AI-equipped cloud phone users. Some have begun expanding into B2B2C markets, exposing network capabilities through open APIs. For example, Chinese operators are collaborating with more than 100 industries, including insurance and catering, to provide AI-driven New Calling services via open APIs. This has led to a tenfold increase in revenue from sector customers.

Li concluded, "The opportunities are immense, and now is the time to act. Pioneers are already rapidly expanding into over 200 cities globally, making concrete strides toward unlocking new and incredible value."

MWC Barcelona 2025 is scheduled to take place from March 3 to 6 in Barcelona, Spain. During the event, Huawei will showcase its latest products and solutions at Booth 1H50 in Fira Gran Via Hall 1. In 2025, the commercial rollout of 5G Advanced will accelerate, with AI assisting operators in reshaping their business, infrastructure, and operational management. Huawei is actively working with operators and partners globally to hasten the transition toward an intelligent world.

For more information, visit Huawei's official event webpage.