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Maximizing the Value of 5G Networks in the Era of AI

At the recent MWC Barcelona 2025, Huawei’s Senior Vice President Li Peng made headlines with his insightful opening remarks focused on the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) with 5G technology. He emphasized that operators have a unique opportunity to fully unlock the potential of their existing networks through the smart application of AI. Peng stated that the synergy between 5G-A (5G Advanced) and AI is expected to spur double-digit growth in key metrics such as average revenue per user (ARPU) and data usage per account (DOU).

"We are rapidly moving into a completely intelligent world, with smart applications spreading everywhere and creating new demands on networks," he said. Li underlined that adopting and advancing 5G technologies will unveil the limitless capabilities of mobile networks. Huawei is keen to collaborate with operators and industry partners around the globe to drive digital enablement, reinforce network foundations, and democratize AI.

The Paradigm Shift Powered by AI

Li touched upon the evolving nature of human-machine interaction, which is moving from simple text-based inputs to speech, gestures, and other multi-modal interactions. This evolution in HMI (human-machine interaction) is making networks more real-time and user-friendly, igniting a wave of innovative applications. For instance, users can now interact with their devices through AI-supported voice assistants, creating a more natural communication dynamic. In cloud-enabled mobile phones, AI avatars are providing visual feedback, enhancing personal experiences for services such as health monitoring, significantly improving accessibility and productivity for various user demographics.

Yet, for such applications to thrive, networks must ensure guaranteed latency, marking a transition from 5G NSA (Non-Standalone) to 5G SA (Standalone), and eventually 5G-A. Operators are encouraged to adopt innovative technologies such as CUPS (Control and User Plane Separation) and GBR (Guaranteed Bit Rate) to differentiate latency and address specific scenarios.

Transformative Content Creation with AI

During his presentation, Li highlighted how AI will transform content generation and distribution, enabling the creation of long 2D and 3D videos at the click of a button. AI-driven recommendations are becoming increasingly targeted, facilitating personalized content distribution to broader audiences via the internet. Both trends are expected to contribute to significant increases in network traffic over the next five years, necessitating operators to upgrade their spectrum and network capacity to accommodate heightened upload and download bandwidths.

The Demand for User-centric Network Coverage

As both AI-enabled cloud and mobile devices make intelligent services more accessible, there is a growing demand for experience-centric network coverage. Projections indicate that by 2030, over a billion people will be using cloud phones and cloud drivers, each requiring swift access to cloud computing capabilities. Additionally, smart in-vehicle applications will require comprehensive coverage across urban, highway, and rural areas to provide seamless mobility experiences.

Looking ahead, meeting these demands will require continuous advancements in network deployment, starting from rapid expansions of 5G NSA networks to enhancing indoor and outdoor experiences through 5G SA, and ultimately leading toward experience-centric 5G-A networks. This will aid operators in expanding network coverage, generating billions of new connections for people, and facilitating hundreds of billions of Internet of Things (IoT) connections.

The Complexity of Networks and AI-Driven Management

As networks become more complex, the shift towards application-centric operations and maintenance (O&M) will be necessary. AI will produce more complex application scenarios, along with diverse experience requirements. In terms of network provisioning, this transition will necessitate a move from traditional resource-based O&M to a more application-oriented approach.

Some operators are already developing AI-powered O&M systems. These AI programs leverage digital twins to anticipate personalized user needs, drastically reducing time-to-market from days to mere minutes. On the maintenance side, self-learning AI systems can predict and identify faults within seconds, enhancing troubleshooting efficiency by up to 30%. Furthermore, in the domain of network optimization, digital sandboxes allow AI programs to analyze traffic models and continuously optimize networks around the clock based on real-world applications.

Capitalizing on Opportunities in the Era of AI

Li proclaimed that the advent of new network capabilities will lead to innovative business models. Operators can move beyond monetization through traffic alone, starting to capitalize on the experiences themselves. Currently, operators worldwide are actively exploring new ways to monetize experiences based on factors like speed, latency, and VIP advantages. Many of these operators have launched specialized services for business travelers, live streamers, and users of AI cloud phones. Some have also begun expanding into the B2B2C market by exposing their network capabilities through Open APIs.

For example, Chinese operators, through Open APIs, deliver AI-empowered services, collaborating with over 100 sectors including insurance and food services, resulting in significant revenue growth.

"The opportunities are immense, and now is the time for action. Pioneers are already rapidly expanding in more than 200 cities worldwide, taking solid steps forward and unlocking incredible new values," Li concluded.

MWC Barcelona 2025 took place from March 3 to 6 in Barcelona, Spain. During the event, Huawei showcased its latest products and solutions at stand 1H50 in Fira Gran Via Hall 1. The acceleration of commercial 5G-Advanced deployment in 2025, fueled by AI, promises to reshape operators’ businesses, infrastructures, and O&M processes. Huawei is actively collaborating with operators and partners worldwide to expedite the transition to an intelligent world.

For more information, visit Huawei's MWC 2025 page.