NGMN: AI Uncertainty Is Shaping 6G, Operators Call for Flexibility in Standardization
NGMN’s new publication argues that rapid AI evolution is rewriting 6G requirements, pushing operators to preserve architectural flexibility during 3GPP studies.
The Next Generation Mobile Networks Alliance has published a new paper on how the rapid expansion of AI and AI agents could reshape 6G requirements. The key message is that AI creates real opportunities for automation and efficiency, but it also adds uncertainty to what networks must support over the decade-long 6G lifecycle.
As a result, operators are urging that 6G architecture and requirements remain flexible during critical 3GPP study phases, rather than locking AI-related capabilities into a single early design choice.
For the ecosystem, this reinforces the importance of programmability, data feedback loops, and cross-layer optimization. In the near term, engineering validation around AI-RAN, low-latency inference, and autonomous operations is likely to attract more attention as 5G-Advanced transitions toward 6G.
Source: https://www.ngmn.org/highlight/ai-uncertainty-drives-mnos-call-for-6g-flexibility.html
Source: https://www.ngmn.org/publications/ai-surge-and-its-implications-for-6g.html