In conjunction with 5G network technology, connected devices linked to the Internet of Things (IoT) are now ubiquitous. But wait until next-generation applications like artificial intelligence (AI) start running inside these edge devices. Meanwhile, the low latency and high data speeds of 5G and IoT add a new real-time dimension to AI.
Consider an augmented reality (XR) headset. It not only provides a 3D view inside an aircraft engine, but also has onboard intelligence that instantly points out information about problem areas or anomalies in that engine. It will be automatically recognized and adjusted.
ALSO: A wave of other technologies are quickly arriving ahead of AI
Chipmakers are already developing powerful yet energy-efficient processors, or “systems-on-a-chip,” that can deliver AI processing within space-saving devices. Qualcomm, for example, just announced an AI-enabled Snapdragon chip that runs on smartphones and PCs. Also on the horizon is a generation of his NeuRRAM chips, developed at the University of California, San Diego, that can run large-scale AI algorithms on small devices.
Overall, the number of connected IoT devices in the world is expected to exceed 29 billion by 2027, compared to more than 16.7 billion today, according to a recent analysis from zScaler. “While consumer devices are smart and most common, business process-oriented IoT generated the most transactions,” the report’s authors note. “Manufacturing and retail devices account for more than 50% of transactions, highlighting the prevalence and business-critical functionality of devices in these sectors. Enterprise, home automation, and entertainment devices account for the most It’s generating a lot of plaintext transactions.”
Now, 5G and IoT technologies are opening new doors for innovation in AI and vice versa. AI “is more effective when enabled with local-level decision-making frameworks and near real-time data,” said Arun Santhanam, vice president and head of telecommunications at Capgemini Americas. Masu. “5G’s low-latency innovations are key to enabling real-time data outcomes from relatively inexpensive IoT solutions.”
And if AI is the future of business, should CIOs take the lead?
Haifaa El Ashkar, director of telecommunications market and solutions strategy at CSG, says the most viable edge and AI use cases are in the enterprise and IoT space within industries such as healthcare and manufacturing. . These companies “need to offer faster data transmission and real-time communications,” she says. “5G’s low latency and high-speed processing capabilities, coupled with its edge architecture, are proving critical for applications that require rapid decision-making and responsiveness.”
For example, in the medical field, “medical devices supporting the AI edge, such as laparoscopes, are emerging, allowing surgeons to leverage real-time insights to quickly take life-saving actions, such as identifying or detecting anomalies that might otherwise have been missed. “We can now make decisions in real time,” says El-Ashkal. “Without 5G, these industries will not have edge networks and the services needed to meet the needs of such powerful and critical IoT use cases.”
The proliferation of AI-enabled applications and services is also amplifying the capabilities of 5G edge applications, El Ashkar continued. “Combining the low latency of 5G networks with our AI capabilities at the edge will give businesses access to real-time decision-making,” she says. “With the time required for data to travel back and forth between devices and data centers reduced, AI algorithms running on edge devices can improve response and increase the amount of valuable data available to enterprises. We can now provide real-time insights and actions that can help.”
AI also improves connectivity. “It dramatically impacts the reliability and efficiency of wireless networks and enables new ways to stay connected,” said Milind Kulkarni, InterDigital’s vice president and head of his wireless lab. “For example, the combination of 5G, cloud, and edge computing will be important to enable immersive experiences in more places and on new devices, and to develop connected ecosystems such as the Metaverse. Innovations in computing capabilities can help make these experiences a reality.”
Also: Businesses need new operating models to compete in an AI-powered economy
More centralized environments, i.e. clouds and data centers, may provide the computing power for immersive experiences, but “they may be too far from where low-latency resources are located.” Yes,” says Kulkarni. “Therefore, to take advantage of ultra-low latency, one of the key benefits of 5G, edge computing will play a key role by delivering small amounts of storage and compute closer to the devices that need it. , edge computing plays a key role, customized to support specific use cases, such as storing content for video-on-demand delivery or running AI algorithms for rapid decision-making on incoming data. can.”
XR is an area where 5G capabilities are pushed to the limit. “There is currently a large amount of work underway within 3GPP focused on enhancing current networks to be more aware of and better able to support XR traffic,” he said. . “XR pushes the boundaries of 5G in terms of latency, efficient video coding, and network architecture at very high data rates, for example by leveraging the benefits of edge computing.”
5G’s high speeds and low latency “will be necessary for industries to move to the next stage of digital transformation,” El-Ashkar said. “This is critical for industries such as supply chain, healthcare, and manufacturing, where connected devices that increasingly incorporate AI in daily operations are becoming essential.”
