At the heart of the 2025 Mobile World Congress (MWC) Shanghai, one of the most dynamic and forward-looking conversations unfolded at Huawei’s Mobile AI Summit. Operators, AI developers, researchers, and industry leaders gathered for a deep, open dialogue on what the foundation of mobile artificial intelligence (AI) should look like in the years ahead. The message was clear: mobile AI cannot be monetized effectively without major improvements to 5G-A uplink performance and tighter integration between networks and services.
The summit also marked the launch of a major new initiative: GSMA Foundry’s "Mobile Network for Thriving AI", signaling the industry’s shift from experimentation to scalable monetization centered on user experience.
AI and 5G-A: A Symbiotic Technological Alliance
Opening the event, Wen Ku, President of the China Communications Standards Association (CCSA), set the tone for the discussions:
"The integration of 5G-A and AI is not just a trend — it's the direction of future communications infrastructure. We must accelerate standard-setting, deploy intelligent solutions within network architecture, and build collaborative ecosystems to shape what's next."
Today’s mobile AI goes far beyond touchscreens — it’s moving into multimodal interaction involving voice, video, and spatial perception. Companies like Rokid, MiniMax, and Unitree Robotics shared how their AI-powered products are becoming faster, smarter, and more responsive. Improvements in audio-visual bitrate and model precision are combining with 5G-A’s low-latency architecture to enable near-instant interactions. This is essential for real-time services like AI video calling and voice assistants — both of which require uplink speeds of at least 20 Mbps to deliver a seamless experience.
AI Is Changing the Game: From Network Design to Monetization
Other speakers, including Zhi-Quan Luo (Foreign Member of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and IEEE Fellow), operators, and analytics firm Ookla, echoed the same insight: AI is already reshaping how networks are built and how services are delivered.
With automation, predictive analytics, and intelligent orchestration, operators are no longer just offering connectivity — they are beginning to provide customized industry-specific solutions.
A significant shift is also happening in how value is created. The industry is moving beyond monetizing raw traffic toward monetizing intelligent services and experiences. In this new landscape, three network attributes stand out as critical:
- Uplink speed,
- Latency, and
- Stability.
These define a network’s readiness to support mobile AI at scale.
Huawei’s GigaBand: The Backbone of Smart, Flexible Networks
In response to this evolving demand, Huawei unveiled its GigaBand solution portfolio — a suite of technologies designed to intelligently manage and allocate network resources. Combining AIR pooling and the Optsolver orchestration engine, GigaBand enables operators to smoothly transition from conventional 5G networks to the more powerful 5G-A, ready to support diverse new applications including livestreaming, cloud gaming, and mobile AI assistants.
A compelling case study came from Hong Kong, where GigaBand enabled the shared use of 4G and 5G spectrum based on service requirements. The result? A 2.28x increase in 5G throughput, with no degradation in the 4G user experience. That’s not just better performance — it’s a new benchmark for efficiency, flexibility, and sustainability in next-gen networks.
Mobile AI: A New Engine for Digital Life
The takeaway from the summit was unmistakable: 5G-A, powered by GigaBand and supported by ecosystem-wide AI integration, is becoming the technological backbone of a new digital age.
This is not just about business transformation — it’s about everyday life. Smart devices, AI voice assistants, instant video communication, and latency-free services are no longer futuristic—they're becoming the norm. And it’s Huawei and its global partners who are laying the groundwork for this new reality.
MWC Shanghai 2025: Where the Future Takes Shape
Held from June 18 to 20, MWC Shanghai 2025 proved once again that Asia is setting the global agenda in connectivity, AI, and digital transformation. Huawei showcased its latest innovations at Booth N1 in the Shanghai New International Expo Center (SNIEC), reinforcing its position as a global tech leader.
With the commercial rollout of 5G-Advanced accelerating in 2025, Huawei is deepening collaborations with carriers, experts, and research institutions around the world. The goal? To demonstrate how AI can not only upgrade telecom services but unlock entirely new revenue streams and drive the transition to a truly intelligent world.
