Why our AI future depends on the 5G networks we build today

We are on the cusp of a new era of innovation, where advanced connectivity and artificial intelligence (AI) will reshape the global economy.

As AI applications scale in enterprises and across societies, the focus of the AI industry will broaden beyond data centres, semiconductors and large models. The next steps will include rolling out AI across new applications and devices, including sensors, drones, humanoid robots and extended reality glasses, among many others.

These new use cases will be distributed and will require advanced connectivity, initially based on 5G standalone networks, migrating to 6G over time.

Best-effort connectivity, such as 4G and WiFi, simply cannot provide the required reliability, security and performance. These networks fall short in providing guaranteed uplinks to handle large volumes of uploaded data, the low latency needed for near-instant responses and the high connection density required to support many devices at once.

Realizing this AI-driven future will depend on the networks we choose to build now. An open, secure and interoperable technology foundation – spanning 5G and 6G networks, cloud infrastructure, semiconductors and AI – is essential to support new applications at a global scale.

Because no single country or company can deliver this alone, cooperation among allied nations and ecosystems will be critical to avoid fragmented markets, duplicated investments and insecure or incompatible technologies.

Globally, 5G is anticipated to overtake 4G as the dominant mobile access technology by subscription (i.e. number of data plans) by the end of 2027, nine years after launch. According to the latest Ericsson Mobility Report, 5G subscriptions are expected to reach 2.9 billion at the end of 2025, accounting for one-third of all mobile subscriptions.

Think of today’s advanced 5G networks as the essential first step in creating what we call an intelligent digital fabric. They provide higher upload speeds and open network interfaces (APIs or application programming interfaces) for developers to use. They also make networks more programmable and easier to automate.

For this fabric to work everywhere, the world needs more comprehensive 5G coverage, particularly through 5G standalone networks (5G SA). These operate independently of 4G, enabling communication service providers to offer advanced enterprise features such as network slicing.

To see the transformative potential, look at China, which identified 5G as critical national infrastructure early on and is a leader in 5G SA. China’s dense network infrastructure and integrated mobile-first technology stack have spurred the growth of new ecosystems, including robotics, a drone economy and a high number of automated “lighthouse factories.”

The United States is also showing its strength through market-driven innovation to lead in high-value 5G applications and AI integration. It is a clear frontrunner in using 5G for fixed wireless access to reshape the broadband market, while also pioneering open radio access network and network APIs.

While the United States is a recognized leader in application development, its challenge is to ensure that digital infrastructure does not become a bottleneck.

In the future, 6G will be built on the open, programmable foundation established by 5G SA, making 5G SA an essential step in network evolution. AI-native 6G networks will provide even faster upload speeds than 5G and will be significantly more energy-efficient, using radio spectrum – the medium for transmitting data – more efficiently.

They will also feature new capabilities, such as integrated sensing and communication, that will enable not just new use cases but also entirely new classes of devices.

Early 6G standardization is underway, with pre-commercial trials anticipated later this decade. At Ericsson, we are working closely with communication service providers, governments and leading cloud and tech partners on the standards and architectures that will shape the networks of the 2030s.

Some examples of areas that will be transformed by 6G plus AI include:

As we enter this next wave of mobile, 5G and 6G networks should be treated as critical national infrastructure. The goal should be an open, interoperable tech stack spanning 5G/6G, cloud, semiconductors and AI, built on shared standards.

Network design must prioritize trust and security and the telecom industry must embrace change and evolve to see opportunities and not only risks. Otherwise, there is a great risk of fragmented markets, duplicated investments, insecure technology and inconsistent standards.

We invite like-minded partners from government, industry and academia to join us in creating the open standards needed to continue leading in the digital future.

At Ericsson, our journey began 150 years ago in a tiny Stockholm telegraph workshop. Today, as we head into our next 150 years, we have a rare opportunity to build an intelligent digital fabric that empowers innovation across sectors, communities and nations.