BARCELONA, Spain, March 5 (Xinhua) -- Artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly transforming telecom networks, ushering the global mobile industry into a new phase centered on "intelligent connectivity," while 5G will remain the dominant technology for many years to come, Magnus Ewerbring, chief technology officer of Ericsson for Asia Pacific, said in an interview with Xinhua during the Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2026.
Ewerbring noted that the evolution of MWC itself reflects the rapid expansion of the mobile communications industry. The continued growth of the event, he said, mirrors the increasing scale and global influence of mobile technologies.
According to Ewerbring, 5G is entering a key stage of technological evolution. The next phase, 5G Advanced (5G-A), is already being deployed in existing networks through software upgrades.
While discussions about 6G are gaining momentum across the industry, Ewerbring offered a cautious assessment of its timeline. He said 5G is expected to become the world's largest mobile technology by 2027.
"Even if 6G begins commercial deployment around 2029, it may not become the largest technology until around 2037," Ewerbring said. "This means 5G will remain extremely important for many years."
In Ewerbring's view, AI has already become a key driver of change in telecom networks. He explained that the integration of AI and telecommunications can be understood from two perspectives.
The first is "AI for networks." In network operations, AI has significantly improved efficiency. Ewerbring said Ericsson has already integrated AI into multiple parts of its systems, achieving energy-efficiency gains of about 35 percent in some scenarios.
The second is "networks for AI." As AI applications expand to consumer devices, mobile networks play a crucial role in connecting users with computing power located in data centers.
"Whether people are at home, in a restaurant or walking down the street, they expect access to AI services everywhere," he said. "That makes mobile connectivity increasingly important."
Ewerbring also highlighted the growing role of Chinese companies in the global telecom industry, noting that Chinese firms play major roles in devices, IT systems and telecom infrastructure.
Looking ahead, he said the combination of AI and hardware innovation could lead to new technological breakthroughs. He pointed in particular to humanoid robots and embodied AI as areas likely to see rapid development in the coming years.
He added that as AI becomes more deeply integrated with telecom infrastructure, the mobile industry will continue to experience long innovation cycles that reshape how people connect with and interact with technology. ■
