AI, edge and 5G in the spotlight at MWC Las Vegas

Mobile World Congress (MWC) events are a useful gauge of how new technologies evolve from ideas, theories and trials to actual use cases that are revolutionizing entire industries.

MWC has also shifted focus from telecommunications to take a more enterprise-centric approach, with a focus on manufacturing, healthcare, and logistics and transportation – three industries at the heart of what NTT DATA has achieved with edge computing, IoT and private 5G connectivity.

At MWC Las Vegas at the end of September, we specifically wanted to showcase our expertise in edge computing because so much computing power and data analysis is now shifting to factory floors or hospital rooms. This trend is being supercharged by the rise of generative AI, and we’re excited to be at the leading edge of these developments with our Edge as a Service and Private 5G solutions.

5G enables new technologies

So much has happened in AI since I wrote about MWC Barcelona earlier this year. Driven by developments in ChatGPT and the many other generative AI engines springing up all around us, AI has come a long way in just six months – not just in terms of prompt-based interfaces but also in how it can manage and orchestrate events on a factory floor, for instance. It is also important to bring AI to the edge for privacy and security.

But, to perform optimally, these new technologies need fast, reliable and secure connectivity – and MWC Las Vegas proved that private 5G and the edge are fast becoming game changers for many organizations.

I was joined on stage by Mark Bidinger, President: Commercial & Industrial Segments and Channels at Schneider Electric, the digital automation and energy management specialist. NTT DATA has implemented a private 5G solution for Schneider Electric to power their smart factories that use IoT, edge computing and predictive analytics to improve equipment availability, machine performance and product quality.

We also spoke about how technologies like AI are enabling automation and other innovative digital initiatives on the factory floor, and creating opportunities for manufacturers.

“We’re not at the beginning but well into the journey of the Industrial Revolution 4.0,” said Mark during our discussion, also referring to the rise of machine-to-machine communications and growing demand for on-premises computing power and cloud technologies.

Racing fans at MWC Las Vegas had their picture taken with INDYCAR racer Tony Kanaan and heard how NTT DATA technology had transformed INDYCAR

Developing the 5G ecosystem

We also announced at MWC Las Vegas that we had partnered with Qualcomm Technologies, a multinational provider of semiconductor technologies. The relationship will allow us to tap into and help develop the 5G device ecosystem at scale.

Having more 5G-enabled devices in use by global organizations will be key to driving widespread enterprise adoption of private 5G, a market that the International Data Corporation estimates will exceed USD 8.3 billion in value by 2026.

Qualcomm Technologies’ leadership in semiconductors and 5G chipsets, combined with our expertise in private 5G, will advance AI-enabled processing capabilities at the edge and spur innovation across industries, feeding into use cases such as push-to-talk devices, augmented-reality headsets, machine vision and advanced sensors.

Private 5G in action

Of course, as I mentioned, MWC Las Vegas was an opportunity to show how private 5G is already changing the way organizations conduct business.

Take our client LyondellBasell as an example. They develop high-quality products that solve unique needs and global challenges while helping customers advance a circular economy and a world with reduced greenhouse gas emissions.

NTT was honored to participate in an Innovation Day hosted by LyondellBasell, where we shared the possibilities of our Private 5G capabilities and the critical role they will play in providing pervasive, secure and reliable connectivity to drive further value from infrastructure investments and empower their global teams with more efficient working environments.

Modernizing its infrastructure across global manufacturing facilities is critical to the LyondellBasell transformation strategy. Adopting a private 5G wireless network across its manufacturing footprint would provide a global platform for developing and delivering the digital services that enable the company’s Value Enhancement Program.

Industry focus

We singled out Schneider Electric, Qualcomm Technologies and LyondellBasell at MWC Las Vegas not only to illustrate NTT DATA’s capabilities but also because these enterprise clients are great examples of how we focus on industry-specific solutions – which is the reason we were the Industry City Lead Sponsor at the event.

We achieve this with our extensive technology expertise and range of services with flexible consumption models, backed by strategic and long-running partnerships with the likes of Microsoft and Cisco, and I look forward to the next MWC to put more of our innovation in the spotlight.