This GSMA resource examines what comes next for 5G networks, positioning mobile connectivity as the nervous system for an AI-driven digital economy. It argues that the future direction is about an intelligent, programmable substrate for machine interaction, real-time decision-making, and distributed AI, rather than faster smartphones.
The discussion centers on “completing 5G” through the standalone imperative. It highlights 5G standalone (5G SA) and service-based architecture (SBA) as structural changes toward cloud-native software systems, with network functions exposed as services. It also frames the commercial challenge—enterprise monetisation has not yet materialised at significant scale—and links this to the need for standardised ways to expose network capabilities, including network slicing and network APIs.
For connectivity professionals, the resource connects network intelligence to enterprise demand patterns, including mobile-first strategies and the movement of AI inference toward the edge. It also outlines how AI changes the traffic equation, raising uplink demands in AI-driven scenarios and making deterministic latency, symmetrical performance, and dynamic resource allocation more critical.
Named participants include Alex Sinclair (GSMA CTO), Henry Calvert (Head of Networks at GSMA), Kunal Shukla (SVP and GM, Head of Network APIs at Vonage), Toshiyasu Wakayama (Senior Standardization Specialist at KDDI), Huang Yuhong (General Manager at China Mobile Research Institute), Rahim Tafazolli CBE (Director, 6G Innovation Centre at the University of Surrey), John Smee (Senior Vice President, Engineering at Qualcomm), and Manish Mangal (President and Head, Americas Communication Business at Tech Mahindra).
The source notes that GSMA will continue the conversation at MWC Shanghai during the Future Networks Summit on Wednesday 24 June 2026.