The future of connectivity: How AI and 5G can pave the way for 6G innovation

By Mona Nia 14 Aug 24 Reading time: 5 mins

The connectivity landscape is rapidly evolving, driven by significant advancements in technologies such as 5G, AI, and the emerging development of 6G. These innovations are reshaping how businesses operate, interact, and innovate. So, what are the current trends in connectivity, what will be the impact of emerging technologies, and how can businesses best leverage these advancements?

The connectivity boom: today’s trends defining tomorrow’s networks

From 2G in the voice era to 5G and beyond, we are moving into the digital and intelligent age with a wave of new development trends. The deployment of 5G networks offers ultra-reliable low-latency communication (URLLC), massive machine-type communication (mMTC), and enhanced mobile broadband (eMBB), supporting the growing number of connected devices and applications. AI integration is also becoming more prevalent, enabling intelligent network management, dynamic resource allocation, and predictive maintenance.

The latest upgrades in 5G are paving the way for 5G-Advanced, which enhances existing capabilities and sets the stage for 6G. This next-generation network will support new applications and services that require higher data rates, enhanced reliability, and ultra-low latency.

The age of convergence: how 5G and AI are revolutionising the future

The fusion of 5G and AI is creating a powerful convergence of intelligence and communication capabilities. This “Age of Convergence” aptly describes the landscape where the two technologies merge to redefine what’s possible. 5G, with its impressive bandwidth and ultra-low latency, provides the perfect infrastructure for AI algorithms to operate in real time. This enables novel use cases for distributed connected devices operating at the edge.

5G networks now enable enterprise use cases not just through higher performance and resilience, but also through technologies like user plane function (UPF) that facilitate data exchange between 5G networks, enterprise networks, and the cloud. 

Leveraging AI for 5G wireless technology

AI often needs high-performance computing to execute intelligent tasks, which can be achieved through on-device or nearby on-site servers. However, on-device AI can deplete batteries and may lack power for complex tasks. With 5G, AI processing can be hosted where it is convenient, moving from devices and on-site locations to central sites, enabling a range of use cases aligned with 5G connectivity:

• Machine learning: 5G networks facilitate rapid data transfer, allowing devices to use AI systems to process large datasets in real-time for faster decision-making.
• Large Language Models (LLMs): LLMs, like GPT-3 and beyond, benefit from 5G’s high-speed and low-latency capabilities, allowing for real-time language translation, enhanced conversational AI, and seamless integration into smart devices and services.
• Computer vision: High-bandwidth connectivity of 5G enables powerful computer vision applications to process large amounts of image and video data quickly.
• Pattern recognition: 5G allows connectivity devices to report information to data centres in almost real time, enabling AI systems to identify patterns and detect anomalies swiftly.

In practice, the integration of AI and 5G is revolutionising various industries. For example, smart factories equipped with AI-driven robots and IoT devices communicate over 5G networks, ensuring real-time production monitoring and proactive maintenance in manufacturing. In healthcare, remote surgery, patient monitoring, and personalised treatments are becoming realities with 5G and AI. Innovations like ward-round robots and multi-party consultations enhance healthcare delivery.

When it comes to transportation, 5G’s speed and AI’s decision-making capabilities enable the real-time data processing required by autonomous vehicles to ensure safety and efficiency on the roads. Meanwhile low-latency 5G technologies allow vehicles to communicate with each other and traffic management systems instantaneously, reducing congestion and improving safety. 5G networks also enable UAVs (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles, or drones), to provide fast, low-cost, and secure delivery services. The network helps coordinate large fleets to fly safely, avoid collisions, and provide secure connections, enhancing autonomous navigation with high-definition video backup.

AI-empowered satellite-based Non-Terrestrial Networks (NTNs) in 6G aim to provide ubiquitous connectivity by integrating terrestrial and non-terrestrial systems. This ensures seamless communication across diverse environments, optimising satellite communication, managing orbital resources, and improving overall network performance.

Transformative use cases

From the serious to the not-so-serious, 5G and AI combine to drive novel use cases. Real-time data processing by 5G and AI makes metaverse experiences seamless and immersive, for instance, while 5G’s speed and AI’s graphics render VR and AR capabilities that provide lifelike entertainment experiences. AI curates content based on user preferences, while 5G ensures high-definition content streaming without buffering. AI-powered, 5G-supported real-time translation tools can also break down language barriers, making global communication easier.

Future connectivity trends and innovations

The future of connectivity will continue to evolve with several key trends. One notable trend is the shift from cloud-network synergy to computing-network integration, leading to the development of value-centred networks. Another significant trend is the convergence of digital, operational, and information technologies, which will create new communications capabilities. Additionally, networks will begin to adopt post-Moore and post-Shannon architectures, ensuring sustained growth and innovation. Lastly, the integration of optical and electronic technologies will enhance high-speed processing and reduce power consumption, marking a significant advancement in connectivity.

The connectivity landscape is on the brink of a new era, driven by advancements in 5G, AI, and the impending arrival of 6G. These technologies promise to revolutionise various industries by enabling faster, more reliable, and more efficient communication. Businesses that proactively adopt these technologies and integrate them into their operations will be well-positioned to thrive in this rapidly evolving landscape. As AI continues to advance, its role in enhancing connectivity and driving innovation will only become more significant, paving the way for a future where seamless, intelligent communication is the norm and driving innovation, efficiency, and new opportunities across all sectors.

Mona Nia / Guest writer

Mona Nia is global director for AI/ML solutions at Tecnotree.