6G to empower AI and transform society, says China Mobile expert

While faster communication remains an essential part of 6G development, it is not the most crucial aspect. What truly matters is introducing new dimensions of network capabilities, said Liu Guangyi, chief expert of China Mobile, during an interview with CGTN at the Global 6G Conference 2025 on Thursday.

"When we first designed 5G about a decade ago, we didn't anticipate the explosive rise of artificial intelligence (AI)," Liu explained. "The focus then was mainly on improving communication speed and efficiency. But in doing so, we overlooked the potential of integrating other capabilities."

Liu emphasized that as society moves toward greater digitalization and intelligence, future intelligent applications will become ubiquitous. Supporting this transformation requires innovative network capabilities.

"Think about robotics, intelligent connected vehicles, and intelligent hardware," he said. "6G networks can help make these technologies more lightweight, compact, and low-cost, making mass adoption more feasible and accelerating the intelligent transformation of society."

Compared with 5G, 6G will also enhance the network's own intelligence in operations and maintenance, reducing operational costs for telecom providers.

"Network upkeep currently relies heavily on human labor. But what if, in the future, the network could manage itself like a robot? That would significantly cut operating expenses," Liu noted.

He also believes that by empowering AI, 6G will gradually reshape everyday life.

"For example, my wife is a university professor, and I've told her that education is among the fields most likely to be 'disrupted' by AI. With the help of 6G, XR glasses, and AI, we could build immersive metaverse learning environments that offer personalized education."

Liu even speculated on more radical possibilities, "If 6G could one day connect with brain-computer interfaces, we might upload knowledge directly to the brain, drastically shortening learning cycles. Maybe someday, a person could earn a PhD by age eight and enter the workforce early."

He sees both AI and 6G as enablers – tools and infrastructure that should integrate with and promote the development of other industries.

Looking ahead, Liu expressed confidence in China's 6G development as the country works to commercialize 6G around 2030.

"Based on our experience with 5G, Chinese operators are currently leading the world. We have advantages in deployment scale and construction capacity. Our successes – and the lessons learned – form a solid foundation for our 6G journey," he stated.

The Global 6G Conference 2025 is scheduled to run from April 10 to 12 in Nanjing, east China's Jiangsu Province. With "Frontier Innovation Driving 6G Development" as its core theme, the event focuses on the global 6G vision consensus and standardization.