AI and 5G drive digital transformation at MWC Shanghai 2025
People flocked to Huawei's booth in MWC Shanghai opened on Wednesday.
Artificial intelligence (AI) and 5G services are rapidly integrating into diverse industries and sectors, boosting economic growth and digital transformation, as observed at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) Shanghai 2025.
The regional extension of the world's leading telecommunications exhibition opened on Wednesday at the Shanghai New International Expo Center. Thousands of visitors, including key officials from industry giants such as China Mobile, Huawei, Lenovo and ZTE, are attending the three-day show. Onsite demonstrations are showcasing the latest advancements in 5G-Advanced (5G-A) technology, cutting-edge robotics and autonomous driving.
China currently leads globally in 5G adoption, boasting over 1 billion 5G connections. The GSMA, the global mobile industry association, projected at the opening session of MWC Shanghai that China's 5G penetration rate will reach 124 percent by 2030, surpassing the United States' projected 117 percent and Europe's 101 percent. This high figure implies that, on average, individuals possess two or more 5G-enabled devices, ranging from smartphones and wearable devices to robots and smart cars.
A recent GSMA report further indicated that mobile technologies and digital transformation are set to contribute an estimated US$2 trillion to China's economy by 2030, accounting for 8.3 percent of the nation's GDP.
Yang Jie, chairman of China Mobile, said "Silicon Lives" will be a feature of future society.
"Silicon Lives" intergrate into future society.
Yang Jie, chairman of China Mobile, expressed his expectation for the emergence of diverse AI devices, such as robots and intelligent cars. These devices will assist humans in decision-making and service tasks, facilitating the integration of "Silicon Lives" into future society. China Mobile is committed to developing 5G/6G, AI and quantum computing technologies to enhance the country's information infrastructure.
Eric Xu, of Huawei, highlighted high-quality video streaming and intelligent cars as new business demands.
At an MWC Shanghai forum, Eric Xu, Huawei's rotating chairman, highlighted high-quality video streaming and intelligent cars as new business demands driving the telecommunications industry, simultaneously fueling economic development and improving daily life. Xu further predicted that 5G-connected vehicles would account for 30 percent of all cars sold in China this year, surging to 95 percent by 2030. He emphasized that intelligent cars are becoming a crucial growth engine for 5G development in China.
Visitors gather around drones at the China Telecom booth.
Robots and drones shine
Robots and drones also caught visitors' attention, taking center stage in the exhibition halls.
China Telecom's booth showcased several, representing the carrier's one-stop services for the booming low-altitude economy, encompassing software, system control and advanced networks. These drones are widely utilized in surveillance monitoring, Urban Air Mobility (UAM), logistics and emergency rescue services. It's forming part of China Telecom's strategy to integrate 5G and AI services into 100 general industries.
Robots continue to be a major highlight of the show. Shanghai-based AgiBot exhibited its range of interactive robots that can move and engage with visitors, and are already serving as guiding roles in some telecom carrier outlets. The MWC Shanghai event, which also features a robot competition and autonomous driving demonstrations, ends on Friday.
Robots developed by Shanghai-based AgiBot are attracting visitors at the show.
