5G and AI: Transforming Connectivity at Cloud & 5G LIVE 2025
At Cloud & 5G LIVE, Alper Benli, Head of Transformation & Strategic Programs at Ericsson, took to the stage to discuss the intersection of 5G and AI, highlighting how these technologies are revolutionising industries and shaping the future of connectivity.
The pillars of digital transformation
Kicking off his presentation, Alper outlines three major trends driving societal and industrial transformation: digitalisation, automation and electrification.
These trends, he explains, are enabled by three core technologies: mobile connectivity, artificial intelligence (AI) and cloud computing.
Alper emphasises that AI is becoming increasingly vital, not just for intelligent automation but also for improving productivity at both personal and organisational levels.
Cloud computing, on the other hand, offers scalable and on-demand computing power to drive innovation.
However, he makes it clear that none of these advancements can reach their full potential without a robust mobile infrastructure - 5G.
He compares 5G to the railways of the Industrial Revolution, explaining that it serves as the foundation for new innovations, much like rail networks enabled large-scale industrial growth.
“You need to really have that infrastructure. And otherwise, none of those advancements can be really scale,” he states.
5G: More than just speed
Alper delves into the technical aspects of 5G, highlighting that while the technology offers significantly faster data speeds - up to 100 times faster than 4G - it is not just about speed and latency.
“It (5G) can create new revenue streams. It can create jobs. It can boost the economy and it can reshape the society that we are in.
“And I think from that perspective, it's critical to understand the full potential of 5G that are some key differentiators of this technology.”
He details key differentiators of 5G, including its ability to provide:
- Ultra-fast data rates
- Low latency
- Increased capacity
- Wider coverage
These advancements, he notes, enable seamless streaming, gaming, smart home applications and critical business operations.
He also points out that industries like healthcare could benefit significantly from 5G, with remote surgeries and other telemedicine applications relying on ultra-reliable connectivity.
However, despite the promise of 5G, Alper notes that adoption is not uniform across industries.
While consumer applications have seen significant uptake, enterprise and public sector adoption still lag.
He stresses that accelerating 5G deployment, particularly in Europe, is crucial to unlocking its full economic potential.
AI and the future of network evolution
Transitioning to AI, Alper outlines its growing role in the telecoms industry: “AI is one of the most horizontal technology that we have ever seen, so that's why it will create a lot of different value across different areas.”
He highlights six areas where AI will have the biggest impact:
- Network optimisation – AI-driven predictive maintenance can reduce downtime and enhance network efficiency.
- Customer insights – Analysing user behaviour to deliver more personalised services.
- Automation – Virtual assistants and AI-driven customer service to improve response times and accuracy.
- Security – AI-powered threat detection and fraud prevention.
- Sustainability – AI-driven energy efficiency measures to reduce network power consumption.
- Performance enhancement – Automating repetitive tasks and improving operational efficiency.
He also touches on the impact of generative AI, explaining that CSPs can leverage it to create new revenue streams, accelerate network evolution, and enhance customer engagement.
However, he warns that this will also increase network traffic, requiring infrastructure upgrades to handle the additional load.
Looking ahead, Alper predicts that the industry will move towards programmable networks, enabling more flexible and scalable infrastructure.
He also highlights the importance of 5G standalone networks, which operate independently from 4G and unlock advanced features such as network slicing and ultra-low latency.
The road ahead: Collaboration is key
Alper closes his session with a call to action: “All of these things will not happen naturally.
“I think that the progress heavily depends on how we will collaborate as an industry, the society, government, public, private sector and all of these stakeholders.”
He also hints at the arrival of 6G, which is expected to launch commercially around 2030, bringing new capabilities such as the merging of physical and digital environments.
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