Gloria Touchard, Corporate Technical Director at Nokia, shares an intriguing vision of the future of telecommunications by 2030. In a decade characterized by constant technological advancement, humanity is preparing for an environment in which the human, physical, and digital worlds will converge, opening up a range of transformative possibilities. The integration of emerging technologies into the fabric of our societies, governments, and corporations promises to unleash potential that has been latent until now.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) are shaping up to be pillars in the evolution of networks, devices, and applications, unlocking new levels of automation, productivity, and sustainability. With AI becoming ingrained in the functioning of countless devices, a shift towards interconnected AI models, both in individual devices and in the network, is anticipated, making these devices more autonomous and intelligent.
The metaverse, although still in its developmental stages, is seen as a catalyst for transformation, beginning with revolutionizing efficiency and productivity in business and industrial environments, and subsequently enhancing the consumer experience. The expansion of the metaverse largely depends on the quality of the networks, which will need to be robust and reliable to offer immersive and seamless experiences.
Cloud computing has established itself as the backbone of digital transformation, and its evolution shows no signs of slowing down. With the adoption of distributed architectures and multi-cloud solutions, networks will transform to be fully cloud-native, thus optimizing user experience and resource utilization.
Web3 marks the beginning of a new era of a more decentralized and user-centric internet. The adoption of blockchain and other decentralized technologies is already giving rise to compelling and practical new use cases.
By 2030, the emergence of new connected devices is expected, keeping smartphones at the center stage, but also giving rise to accessible XR devices that will facilitate immersion in the metaverse for the mass market. Enhanced connectivity will play a crucial role in user adoption, along with low-power, energy-capturing devices that will strengthen IoT and automation solutions, such as digital twins.
As for 6G, while its commercial adoption is not expected to be imminent until after 2030, groundwork is already being laid through advancements in 5G-Advanced and essential steps towards 6G. Technologies such as DmMIMO, a native AI network, and new spectrum and radio designs will be critical in this development.
These emerging technologies and their implementation will be marked by an increase in demands for security, sustainability, and collaboration. Data privacy management and control over digital identities will be crucial, as will access to meaningful connectivity. Companies will be motivated to support developers with networks that offer simple APIs and user-friendly platforms to foster value creation in connected solutions.
Finally, the network of 2030 will integrate advanced AI and ML capabilities, enabling real-time autonomous operation to respond to needs and events, and seamless interaction between network AI models and external applications and devices. Efficiency, sustainability, security, and user experience will dictate development priorities, with a comprehensive and systematic AI/ML data strategy being fundamental to the realization of AI throughout the network.