AI: Driving radical innovation, unprecedented growth, and sustainable development

By Patrick Johansson, President of Ericsson Middle East and Africa

Artificial intelligence (AI) is revolutionising how we live and work, from voice-activated assistants like Siri to self-driving cars. But have you ever stopped to think about its impact on mobile connectivity, especially as 5G subscriptions will reach close to 5.6 billion in 2029? What if your smartphone could predict data usage and optimise your network connection in real-time?

The evolution of AI is truly mind-blowing, with incredible possibilities on the horizon. As one of our time’s most significant transformative forces, AI is revolutionising all sectors, including telecommunications. Its unprecedented efficiency and automation capabilities reshape the telecommunications industry, drive agility, and enable predictive, proactive operations. Today, many service providers are leveraging AI to automate tasks and make data-driven decisions.

AI is critical to developing tomorrow’s networks. It enhances communication technologies, supports extended reality (XR) and reduced capability (RedCap) devices, and boosts network energy efficiency. The rise of large language models (LLMs) has also expanded the potential for generative AI use cases, bringing benefits far beyond traditional applications. This reassures us about the promising future of mobile connectivity.

Critical role

AI has been critical in evolving mobile connectivity, advancing the shift from best-effort mobile broadband to more predictable, performance-oriented services. This shift promises significant economic benefits, empowering businesses, governments, and societies to meet sustainability goals.

While these advancements may be remarkable, we are just beginning to unlock AI’s true power. Its impact will become even more pronounced as 5G networks become ubiquitous. That is when AI will pave the way for innovations we never imagined, sparking excitement and intrigue about what the future holds.

As leaders in 5G technology, we are excited about AI’s potential and have been at the forefront of its adoption. We have leveraged AI-powered solutions for decades to manage complex network data, predict patterns, and optimise network performance.

Our AI-driven predictive network management technology provides comprehensive machine learning-based diagnostics, root cause analysis, and actionable recommendations to enhance user experiences. This helps communication service providers (CSPs) address network anomalies and redefine how networks are operated and maintained.

GITEX Global 2024

I am particularly excited about this year’s GITEX Global theme, ‘AI Everything’. This theme aligns perfectly with our commitment to creating a mobile-first world powered by cloud and AI, where differentiated, high-performance networks are accessible everywhere.

We look forward to showcasing our cutting-edge innovations in AI and connectivity, sharing our expertise on how AI can contribute to achieving global sustainability goals, and exploring future technologies like 5G advanced technologies and paving the way to 6G.

In the Middle East and Africa (MEA) region, AI ensures reliable connectivity and advances digital inclusion, particularly in line with ambitious national visions. We are deploying AI-enabled solutions to improve network performance, contribute to digital transformation, and tackle challenges unique to these markets. By adopting AI, we are not only solving current issues but also laying the foundation for the networks of the future.

Cybersecurity concerns

It is also crucial to highlight that despite AI’s vast benefits, there is a pressing need to examine cybersecurity. As 5G and ICT transition to cloud and edge computing, new vulnerabilities emerge. The rise of generative AI and LLMs has equipped adversaries with the tools to exploit these weaknesses rapidly.

According to a Sapio Research and Deep Instinct report, 85% of security professionals attribute the rise in attacks to generative AI. Mitigating these threats will require advanced AI-driven security solutions.

Trustworthiness also remains a challenge. AI’s reliance on probabilistic models can create uncertainty, and transparency around AI processes is crucial. To realise AI’s full potential, trust must be established in its development, deployment, and use.

This is why we must build human trust in AI, addressing aspects from explainability and human oversight to security and built-in safety mechanisms. Trustworthiness is a prerequisite for AI; we are designing it into the system.

Unlocking AI’s full potential will require industry partnerships to develop secure and trustworthy solutions. As we move toward an era where networks can sense, compute, learn, and act autonomously, AI will be central to managing the explosion of data generated by billions of connected devices.

This hyperconnected future will depend on strong partnerships between ICT companies and CSPs, transforming business and society through secure, efficient, and sustainable communication services.

Featured image: AI enhances communication technologies, supports extended reality (XR) and reduced capability (RedCap) devices, and boosts network energy efficiency. Credit: Ericsson

Last Updated on 3 months by News Desk 2