The CEO of Qualcomm informed MWC that connectivity will stay the inspiration of 6G networks, however its design priorities will evolve as AI turns into central to digital providers and cell computing
In sum – what to know:
Three 6G pillars – Qualcomm CEO Cristiano Amon mentioned connectivity, distributed computing, and sensing will kind the inspiration of 6G networks and help AI-driven providers and gadgets.
AI infrastructure – Future telecom networks will combine computing from base stations to knowledge facilities, successfully working as “AI knowledge heart networks.”
Sensing functionality – 6G may use RF alerts and AI to detect objects and motion, enabling functions akin to drone detection and environmental mapping.
At Cell World Congress 2026 in Barcelona, Cristiano Amon outlined a imaginative and prescient for future 6G networks constructed round three core constructing blocks: connectivity, computing, and sensing. Collectively, he mentioned, these parts will help a brand new era of AI-driven providers, gadgets and digital experiences.
“The necessities for 6G are literally going to be constructed round three constructing blocks,” Amon mentioned in his keynote speech at MWC 2026. “One is connectivity. The opposite one goes to be the computing. After which the quantity three, which is totally new, is sensing.”
In response to the pinnacle of Qualcomm, these pillars mirror the shift towards AI-native communications infrastructure designed to help clever gadgets and real-time knowledge processing.
Connectivity will stay the inspiration of future cell networks, however its design priorities will evolve as synthetic intelligence turns into central to digital providers and cell computing. “So it’s a connectivity that’s designed for steady context trade,” Amon mentioned.
Future networks might want to help fixed communication between gadgets, sensors, and functions working throughout smartphones, wearables, autos and different linked programs. In such an ecosystem, connectivity should ship each excessive efficiency and constant protection.
Synthetic intelligence will even play a task in how radio alerts are processed inside the community, the Qualcomm government added. “You utilize AI to course of a whole lot of the RF alerts,” he mentioned. “As an alternative of doing channel estimations, you’re going to make use of AI to do predictions.”
This method may assist keep dependable efficiency even when sign power is weak and enhance how higher-frequency spectrum delivers protection.
The second pillar of 6G is computing, reflecting a broader transformation in telecom infrastructure. “The computing is the largest change within the infrastructure itself,” Qualcomm’s Amon mentioned.
The Qualcomm government defined that future telecom networks is not going to solely present connectivity but in addition course of AI workloads straight inside the community. Computing sources shall be distributed throughout a number of layers, together with base stations, edge infrastructure, and huge centralized knowledge facilities.
“6G networks for the telecom sector are going to grow to be AI knowledge heart networks,” Amon mentioned.
This structure would permit operators to course of massive volumes of information generated by linked gadgets in actual time, supporting quicker automation, improved community optimization and new AI-driven providers.
In response to Amon, the shift may considerably change how telecom networks function. “I really consider that this transformation goes to be as profound as going from a dial tone community, the place you simply make cellphone calls, to right this moment’s excessive efficiency broadband,” he mentioned.
The third pillar — sensing — represents a brand new functionality for wi-fi networks. “That’s a model new characteristic of 6G,” Amon mentioned. Utilizing radio frequency alerts and AI processing, future networks may detect objects and motion throughout their protection areas, successfully turning the community right into a large-scale sensing system.
“A brand new functionality of the community, along with connectivity, is definitely to sense the atmosphere,” Amon mentioned. This functionality may allow providers akin to drone detection, monitoring of transferring objects, and real-time environmental mapping. “You’re going to have a 3D map of your entire metropolis, You’re going to have a 3D map of your entire nation,” he mentioned.
Such capabilities may help rising sectors together with drone visitors administration, robotics, and autonomous programs. In response to the corporate’s timeline, demonstrations of key applied sciences may seem inside the subsequent few years. “Our timeline relies on demonstration in 2028,” the Qualcomm CEO mentioned.
“We’re going to have infrastructure in semiconductor and gadgets towards the top of 2028 for launching as early as 2029.”
