AI and 6G will be the strongest wi-fi trade development path
Huawei, the Chinese language wi-fi firm, continues to be a blended bag in terms of its repute in america. Nevertheless, throughout their latest keynote on the MWC convention in Shanghai, they outlined a brand new technique for development. Let’s take a better have a look at this method and think about whether or not it may be copied by wi-fi rivals across the globe.
Is livestreaming a severe development space?
One shock from Huawei’s keynote was its give attention to livestreaming as a brand new space of development. That’s not one thing we regularly hear about within the context of AI, 5G, non-public wi-fi, or wi-fi broadband.
In accordance with Huawei, livestreaming nonetheless has loads of room to develop. And so they could also be proper. The livestreaming market is tough to dimension exactly because it overlaps with a number of industries — cloud, streaming, e-commerce and others. Nonetheless, it’s a notable shift.
Livestreaming might certainly be one development avenue for wi-fi gamers like Huawei. However will it turn into a serious driver, on par with broadband or non-public wi-fi? That is still to be seen.
Some projections estimate that the worldwide livestreaming market might attain $330 billion by 2030. Whereas estimates range and are topic to vary, it’s nonetheless a considerable potential goal.
This will likely symbolize a stronger development alternative for small- and mid-sized firms within the livestream house — particularly as demand for video and audio content material continues rising, fueled by 5G expertise.
Huawei bets on AI, HD video push and FTTR for SMEs
Along with livestreaming, Huawei is focusing on different high-value areas: HD video push, AI and fiber-to-the-room (FTTR) for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
FTTR, paired with AI, might assist carriers unlock new worth within the small enterprise market and doubtlessly reshape the Wi-Fi panorama as effectively.
AI: Largest alternative in wi-fi and telecom
That stated, the greatest development alternative I see in wi-fi and telecom at the moment is 6G and AI.
AI has the potential to influence — and disrupt — just about each a part of the wi-fi ecosystem: networks, smartphone and pill makers, infrastructure builders and even firms simply beginning to combine wi-fi into their operations.
Wi-fi is a large trade with many shifting elements.Â
Huawei chairman Eric Xu echoed this imaginative and prescient at MWC Shanghai 2025, urging the trade to evolve, undertake new expertise like 5G-Superior (5G-A) and embrace AI-driven innovation.
Personal wi-fi, wi-fi broadband: nonetheless evolving
Huawei’s development narrative feels acquainted. Assume again to the wi-fi panorama earlier than the iPhone and Android revolution. On the time, BlackBerry dominated and there have been only some hundred apps. Now, with iOS and Android, there are hundreds of thousands.
The wi-fi trade wants an identical breakthrough at the moment. It should transfer past the maturing conventional wi-fi mannequin to seek out new sources of transformational development.
Whereas non-public wi-fi and wi-fi broadband are rising, they haven’t but delivered large-scale success for main gamers.
AI: Subsequent wi-fi development wave
That’s why I’m more and more satisfied that AI will drive the following main development wave in wi-fi.
Given Huawei’s international affect, it could be clever for different wi-fi leaders — AT&T, T-Cell, Verizon, Qualcomm, Ericsson, Nokia and extra — to concentrate to what Huawei and others are doing.
With conventional wi-fi development slowing, the trade is once more looking for new, long-term development paths—particularly to maintain traders glad.
AI affords precisely that form of promise. Each CEO on this trade should think about use new applied sciences to each survive and lead.
That is greater than only a technical shift. It’s a strategic crucial for each public firm in wi-fi aiming to ship shareholder worth within the years forward.
Sure, there will probably be smaller development waves throughout livestreaming, FTTR and personal networks. But when present tendencies maintain, AI will probably lead the following large wave in wi-fi and telecom.
