Huawei Proposes AI-Driven Optical Networks for Growth in AI Era

Huawei's Vision for AI-Driven Optical Networks

During the MWC Barcelona 2025, Huawei's Bob Chen, President of the Optical Business Product Line, outlined a transformative approach to optical networks aimed at ushering in the AI era. The proposal centers around the development of Optical Networks for Artificial Intelligence, or AI ON. This initiative is intended to lay a strong foundation for growth and success in a world increasingly reliant on AI technologies.

The Future of AI

The AI era is characterized by three pivotal aspects: the ubiquitous presence of AI applications, widespread computational power dedicated to AI tasks, and systems designed with native AI capabilities. These trends necessitate networks that not only recognize different types of services but also provide tailored connectivity to optimize user experience. Furthermore, networks must ensure deterministic connectivity to enable efficient performance planning while incorporating AI functions to enhance service quality and operational efficiency.

Bob Chen emphasized that since the launch of the target network concept for the AI era in 2024, Huawei has been actively collaborating with global customers to drive continuous innovation in optical technologies. The evolution towards next-generation optical networks, termed AI ON, is increasingly clear, featuring five key attributes outlined by Chen:

1. Awareness:
Historically, optical networks lacked the capability to discern service types. Future optical networks must recognize service categories based on traffic patterns and flow directions to meet bandwidth, latency, and reliability demands effectively.

2. On-Demand Connectivity:
Moving away from the past, where networks provided undifferentiated connectivity, future optical networks will need to offer real-time tailored connectivity catering to specific service requirements. For instance, a gamer may be offered a three-hour package with a bandwidth of 1 Gb/s, directly aligned with their gaming needs.

3. Guarantee of Quality:
In the past, various factors, including network congestion, faults, and service surges, could deteriorate connection quality. The new framework requires optical networks to ensure high-quality connectivity irrespective of network changes or service fluctuations, promising deterministic latency and zero packet loss across all services.

4. Autonomous Operations and Maintenance:
Traditionally, network management was reactive, responding to issues only after they arose. Future networks must transition towards a proactive approach, identifying and mitigating potential risks before they impact users, achieving self-repair and optimization in the process.

5. Native AI Integration:
It is essential for all network terminals, devices, and management systems to incorporate full-stack AI capabilities. This integration will accelerate the intelligence of the network; for example, AI computational power in Optical Network Terminals (ONT/FTTR) will recognize application types and enhance device performance using compact models at the terminals.

In conclusion, Bob Chen remarked that AI represents a transformative force within society, opening unprecedented opportunities for the information and communication technology sector. Just as the aforementioned five characteristics symbolize superior service standards in industries like hospitality and tourism, leveraging these opportunities will hinge on exceptional connectivity. Huawei is committed to collaborating with the industry to advance optical networks towards AI ON, ensuring connectivity that meets the high standards of these five characteristics, thereby fostering new growth in the AI era.