6G needs to embrace AI for shaping future network

Shenzhen | At the 6G Conference held in Istanbul, on September 24, 2024, Dr. Wen Tong, Huawei Wireless CTO, delivered a keynote speech on 6G standardisation and innovation.

With the release of the ITU-R 6G vision framework, the 3GPP will start 6G standardisation in 2025.

“6G is a new generation of mobile technology, not a simple upgrade of 5G, it should bring new value to users,” said Dr. Tong, adding, “6G is a true intergenerational technological disruption. 6G standard, key technologies, and network architecture should be re-defined based on application scenarios and requirements from 2030 to 2040. 

“6G should not be another way to implement 5G. Instead, 6G should embrace the AI revolution with a quantum leap and generate new values for the consumers. In this way, 3GPP standards can truly realise the 6G vision and create greater value for the entire industry.”

Centered “6G Standardization Direction” and “6G Innovation Driving Force”, Dr. Tong shared important views on the future architecture, terminal development, and key technologies of 6G.

In terms of architecture design, 6G should go beyond Service-Based Architecture and move towards Application-Driven Network.

5G has already achieved market success and continues to evolve towards 5G-Advanced. 6G will not simply reuse 5G network architecture, without generational and fundamental innovations, which will limit the mobile industry’s aspiration and imagination to drive innovation in the 6G era. 6G must have obvious cross-generational characteristics and technical breakpoints.

On the core side, reusing the 5G core network will hinder the innovation in AI. We should use Agentic-AI based technology to re-architect 6G Core that goes beyond 5G Service-Based Architecture and support the foundational capabilities of AI, Sensing and NTN , and thus evolve towards the Application Driven Network .

In terms of terminal evolution, the 6G user device calls for a breakthrough to lead the success of the entire industry chain.

It is the law of the mobile industry to drive the evolution of the market with pioneering technology. The 6G networks and 6G terminals must meet the requirements of consumers and vertical industries in the 6G market phase from 2030 to 2040.

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Currently, smartphones are evolving to AI terminals to usher in the mobile AI era. In the post-MBB era, breakthroughs in terminal technologies will be the key to the evolution of the mobile industry. Therefore, the 6G user device calls for a breakthrough towards “Full-AI”, thus to drive 6G network upgrade and the success of the entire industry ecosystem.

In terms of technology development, AI will become a key enabler for 6G with network paradigm shifting.

Twenty years ago, the Internet was the enabler of technological innovations. Mobile communications embraced the Internet and achieved great business success. Today, AI may be the disruptive enabler of the latest technology innovations.

6G should embrace the AI revolution with a quantum leap. However, 6G networks should not be limited to generative AI, Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) and Embodiment-AI are the main directions of future AI development. 

Therefore, AGI should run through the whole process of sensing, reasoning, decision, and action of terminals, wireless networks, and core networks of 6G, to welcome the arrival of a new network paradigm.

At the end, Dr. Tong Wen emphasised the relationship between 5G and 6G: “The global 5G deployment is on the rise and evolving to 5G-Advanced, which not only meets the current requirements of operators, but also protects their investment. Therefore, 6G technologies should not overlap with 5G in technologies and market space. 

“The specifications, technologies, and architecture of 6G must be based on the scenarios and requirements from 2030 to 2040. We should focus on true generational technology disruption, embrace the new opportunities brought by AI, and expand the mobile industry in the next generation.”

Published for PRNewswire on behalf of Huawei.