In 2025, the communications industry stands at a pivotal juncture: the convergence of 5G-Advanced (5G-A) and artificial intelligence (AI) has transcended mere technical concept and ventured into industrial application, accelerating the transformation of numerous sectors.

Author | Xiao Wei

Reflecting on the past three decades of communication technology evolution, from the nascent stages of 2G voice, the initial exploration of 3G data, the explosion of 4G mobile internet, to the advent of 5G ushering in the Internet of Everything, each generational leap has profoundly reshaped the industrial landscape, giving rise to countless revolutionary applications—mobile phones, smartphones, mobile payments, connected vehicles—that have transformed daily life and work.

Fast forward to 2025, the communications industry is again at a historical turning point: 5G-Advanced and 10Gbps optical networks are edging towards large-scale commercial deployment, accelerating their integration with the burgeoning field of AI. This not only propels the digital transformation and intelligent upgrading of various industries but also opens up boundless possibilities for cutting-edge domains such as the low-altitude economy, autonomous driving, and humanoid robots.

When 5G-A, a technology embodying "super-connectivity," intersects with the burgeoning tide of AI, a technological "nuclear fusion" transcending mere connectivity ensues. From drone swarms in the low-altitude economy to critical remote operating tables, from robotic arms in "dark factories" to electronic fences around dolphin habitats, the landscape of various industries is being fundamentally rewritten.

Real-world integration propels comprehensive acceleration of 5G-A commercialization

5G-A signifies the enhancement and evolution of 5G mobile technology, boasting core advantages of "faster speed, lower latency, broader connectivity, and more accurate sensing." Since its commercial launch in 2024, through deep integration with the real economy, 5G-A has ushered in a comprehensive explosion at the technical, application, and industrial levels.

Technological leap: "10Gbps downlink, 1Gbps uplink" becomes a daily reality

At the technical level, compared to traditional 5G technology, 5G-A has significantly elevated network speed, latency, and connection scale, providing a robust network foundation for the widespread application of cutting-edge technologies like AI, XR, and autonomous driving.

In terms of speed, 5G-A achieves a tenfold leap, with the maximum data download rate soaring from 1Gbps in the early stages of 5G to 10Gbps, and the peak uplink rate surging from 100Mbps to 1Gbps. In terms of latency, 5G-A supports millisecond-level ultra-low latency, accelerating the deployment of low-latency scenarios such as real-time communication, autonomous driving, and remote surgery.

Moreover, with core capabilities such as integrated communication and sensing, space-air-ground integration, and intelligent uplink, 5G-A not only "connects" everything but also "senses" the position, speed, and form of everything, providing crucial technical support for the deep integration of the physical and digital worlds.

Application explosion: Reshaping connectivity experiences and fostering a myriad of scenarios

At the application level, technological progress ultimately serves humanity. The formidable capabilities of 5G-A are giving birth to a plethora of new applications, reshaping calling, entertainment, and office experiences. New consumption formats such as new calls, cloud gaming, and ultra-high-definition videos are thriving on the fertile soil of 5G-A.

In the past, applications like VR and glasses-free 3D often suffered from screen freezing and intense feelings of dizziness due to insufficient network bandwidth and excessive latency. With the high speed and low latency of 5G-A, the user experience will be vastly enhanced, enabling immersive interactions with multiple individuals in vast spaces without constraints.

Industrial ecosystem: Numerous players competing, jointly constructing a digital foundation

From operators, equipment vendors, to terminal manufacturers and application developers, a thriving ecosystem centered around 5G-A is rapidly taking shape. According to a report by the Global mobile Suppliers Association (GSA), as of May 2025, 26 operators in 15 countries worldwide are investing in 5G-A. It is anticipated that by the end of 2025, over 100 mobile phone and CPE terminals will support 5G-A, and over 100 million users will enjoy exceptional network experiences.

As of June 2025, more than 300 cities in China have initiated 5G-A network coverage, with cities like Shanghai and Beijing even issuing special action plans aimed at creating demonstration hubs for 5G-A applications.

Reconstructing various industries: Which fields will be disrupted

In the era of 5G-A, technology is not merely reflected in speed evolution but also in the reshaping of productivity and lifestyles.

With core capabilities such as integrated communication and sensing, space-air-ground integration, and intelligent uplink, 5G-A is reconstructing the industrial ecosystem and catalyzing digital transformation and upgrading in unprecedented ways. The crux of this round of technological innovation lies in upgrading the network from a singular connection channel to a digital nervous system endowed with sensing, intelligence, and adaptability.

Communications and entertainment: Qualitative upgrade in immersive experiences

5G-A is revolutionizing traditional multimedia consumption and entertainment experiences, forging a new immersive and interactive consumption ecosystem. In Beijing, passengers on the speedy Metro Line 3 can already seamlessly watch 4K high-definition videos through the 5G-A network, with an average download rate inside the tunnel reaching 1.7Gbps. At a Scottish Premiership match, the 5G-A network supports 30,000 spectators online simultaneously, ensuring a smooth and seamless network experience. In Beijing Shijingshan Shougang Park, the 5G-A network effortlessly supports 8K ultra-high-definition visuals and zero-lag interaction for VR entertainment projects.

Autonomous driving: Centimeter-level coordination of vehicle-road-cloud integration

Through deep integration with Beidou/GPS satellite navigation and ground base stations, 5G-A can achieve nanosecond-level latency and centimeter-level positioning accuracy for vehicles. In typical vehicle-road coordination scenario tests, vehicles complete the full-link closed loop of environmental perception, decision-making planning, and control execution within just 10 milliseconds.

Low-altitude economy: Ushering in a new era of space-air-ground integration

The low-altitude economy is emerging as a new growth pole for the digital economy. The 5G-A network provides reliable high-density, high-speed, and low-latency connections for core scenarios of the low-altitude economy such as space-air-ground integration. For instance, 5G-A enables drone swarms to transmit 4K high-definition videos and multispectral imaging data in real-time, offering unprecedented sensing capabilities for domains such as agricultural monitoring, emergency rescue, and logistics distribution. In the Zhoushan waters of Zhejiang Province, 5G-A integrated communication and sensing technology ensures drone maritime routes spanning hundreds of kilometers.

Manufacturing and energy: The neural network of smart factories and smart mines

5G-A bids farewell to traditional manual operation modes in industrial production, ushering in a full-process unmanned transformation. In "dark factories," the 5G-A private network facilitates fully automated production, with equipment maintenance and quality control processes fully online. In the Yimin open-pit mine in Inner Mongolia, 5G-A supports real-time high-definition video transmission and cloud-based coordinated scheduling of hundreds of unmanned mining trucks, enabling 24/7 operation even in extreme environments. This not only significantly enhances production efficiency but also drastically reduces labor costs and safety risks.

Telemedicine: Medical equity transcending geographical boundaries

5G-A is reshaping the distribution model of medical resources. Ultra-low latency and high-definition video transmission make remote surgery and real-time consultations feasible. Top medical experts can traverse thousands of miles and precisely control surgical robots through the 5G-A network, providing advanced medical services to patients in remote areas and fostering inclusive distribution of medical resources.

Social governance: Precise governance through digital twins

With the support of 5G-A, the urban governance model has shifted from passive response to proactive early warning. By deploying 5G-A integrated communication and sensing base stations along the Huangpu River channel, ship speeds and positions can be accurately sensed from a distance of 1 kilometer even in heavy rain and fog, with identification accuracy reaching sub-meter levels. Leveraging 5G-A's intelligent sensing, traditional passive management is evolving into proactive and precise digital governance.

It is evident that across various industries, 5G-A is redefining the boundaries of production, life, and social governance, heralding a new chapter in intelligent connectivity.

5G-A×AI: Linking the Future Industrial Map

If 5G-A is an information superhighway, then AI is the "intelligent driving system" traversing this road.

When these two converge, they produce not a simple "1+1=2" but rather a profound industrial fusion. 5G-A provides AI with ubiquitous and real-time efficient data transmission capabilities, while AI endows the network with the "brain" of sensing, thinking, and autonomous optimization, jointly injecting crucial momentum into new productive forces.

In 2025, the integration of 5G-A and AI has transitioned from a technical concept to industrial application, reshaping the boundaries of the industrial ecosystem. This integration is not merely a simple overlay of technologies but rather an innovative paradigm of cross-boundary collaboration.

In terms of technological integration, the core of the 5G-A and AI convergence lies in constructing a connected network with "endogenous intelligence," realizing the bidirectional empowerment of "intelligence in the network" and "network for intelligence."

In terms of the industrial ecosystem, the role boundaries between telecommunications operators, AI algorithm companies, cloud service providers, industry application developers, and terminal manufacturers have become more integrated. They have never collaborated so closely or innovated synergistically as they do today.

In terms of social value, high-quality, low-latency networks and AI technologies enable high-quality education and medical resources to transcend geographical divides, benefiting remote areas and fostering a more equitable and sustainable societal direction.

Through implemented typical cases, we can glimpse the profound implications of this technological revolution:

In the realm of personal consumption, the fusion of 5G-A and AI has given rise to a plethora of new consumption scenarios and formats, amalgamating immersive interaction with intelligent experience. For example, China Mobile deeply integrates 5G-A and AI to create "AI+Calling." The ultra-humanoid AI entity, crafted through the amalgamation of large emotional interaction models, digital human driving, and voice cloning technology, can provide 24/7 emotional companionship and diverse services such as AI calling assistants, including real-time call subtitles, AI shorthand, simultaneous interpretation, and intelligent recognition, achieving a remarkable upgrade in calling experience.

In the domain of embodied intelligence applications, ZTE Corporation and its partners have developed the 5G-A EasyOn·Robot driving multi-body collaboration solution, addressing technical challenges such as multi-robot collaboration and real-time interaction in high-concurrency scenarios. The 5G-A EasyOn·Robot minimalist private network supports parallel high-definition video transmission of multiple robots, real-time interaction of massive sensor data, and high-frequency fine-motion coordination, exploring practical implementations for full-process unmanned intelligent services.

In ecological protection, Fujian Mobile has woven a 24/7 online ecological monitoring network to safeguard Chinese white dolphins through "5G-A+AI." Ten 5G-A base stations efficiently integrate radar, satellite, and ship AIS signals using integrated communication and sensing technology, precisely outlining a "safety zone fence" on the electronic chart. AI algorithms can also assist law enforcement personnel in locking onto suspicious vessels, saving 65% of the response time compared to manual monitoring.

From consumer applications to ecological protection, from industrial production to public services, the integration of 5G-A and AI is reshaping industrial boundaries in unprecedented ways, heralding a new chapter in intelligent connectivity.

Conclusion

The convergence of 5G-A and AI is evolving from technical exploration to the core engine driving new productive forces.

From September 24 to 26, 2025, at the China International Information and Communication Exhibition, the comprehensive map of this transformation will be unveiled. With the theme "New Engine for Digital-Real Integration, Intelligence Unleashing New Momentum for the Future," the exhibition will gather over 300 leading enterprises to decode the ultimate industrial equation: "5G-A×AI=?"