People visit the 2025 Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain, on March 3, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]

At the 2025 Mobile World Congress (MWC) in the northeast coastal Spanish city of Barcelona, AI has firmly established itself as a core component of the mobile and telecommunications industry.

Chinese companies are at the forefront of this transformation, showcasing a wide array of cutting-edge products that integrate AI into every aspect of connectivity and smart devices at the four-day event starting Monday.

Dawn of "AI+" era

AI technologies have evolved into "fundamental infrastructure and a core capability that fully enables economic and social transformation," said He Biao, executive director and CEO of China Mobile, in a keynote speech.

AI's rapid development, he said, is triggering systemic shifts across daily life, production and governance, heralding the arrival of the "AI+" era.

Chinese smartphone maker Honor announced its transition from a smartphone manufacturer to an "AI-driven smart device ecosystem company." The company unveiled the "Honor Alpha Plan," which aims to integrate human-centric AI into smartphones, unlocking new possibilities for human potential.

The AI revolution will reshape the smart device industry, fundamentally transforming productivity, society and culture in unprecedented ways, said Honor CEO Li Jian.

Tecno, another Chinese smartphone maker, introduced its Next-Gen AI Ecosystem, featuring AI-powered smartphones, laptops, glasses, earphones and smartwatches. Tech giant Lenovo also made waves with its ThinkBook "codename Flip," a device that redefines professional workflows through AI-enhanced adaptability.

Intelligent connectivity 

The convergence of AI, 5G-Advanced (5G-A), and the Internet of Things is driving intelligent connectivity and transforming industries worldwide. At MWC 2025, leading telecom companies such as Huawei and ZTE unveiled integrated "5G-A+AI" solutions that leverage large AI models for complex R&D challenges, autonomous networks and self-driving systems.

Global telecom operators are rolling out 5G-A commercial services across more than 200 cities, revolutionizing live-streaming, gaming, urban mobility and business travel.

"Human society is advancing rapidly toward an intelligent world, where ubiquitous smart applications demand stronger network capabilities," said Li Peng, Huawei's senior vice president and president of ICT sales and services. He highlighted AI's role in optimizing network performance and reducing latency.

China Unicom, a leading Chinese telecom operator, introduced its "AI Unites All Plan," aiming to advance AI-network integration and make AI more accessible across industries. "With forward-looking planning and sustained investment, we prioritize integrated innovation in computing infrastructure, network connectivity, data resources, model development and application scenarios," said Jian Qin, president of China Unicom.

Since 2019, China Telecom and China Unicom have been pioneering a joint 5G network infrastructure and creating the world's largest and fastest shared standalone 5G network. At the event this year, they are unveiling the next phase of 5G-A innovation, leveraging shared network data to enhance efficiency and connectivity.

People visit the 2025 Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain, on March 5, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]

International collaboration 

As AI and telecommunications advance at an unprecedented pace, calls for greater international collaboration are growing louder.

No single country or company can fully harness the potential of 5G, AI-driven networks, and the emerging 6G ecosystem alone, said Luigi Gambardella, president of the Brussels-based digital association ChinaEU.

A global approach is essential for driving innovation, ensuring security, and addressing shared challenges such as digital inclusion, cybersecurity and sustainability, Gambardella added.

China has evolved from merely following standards to actively co-shaping the rules in cutting-edge fields like 5G-A and 6G, said Professor Guan Ke of Beijing Jiaotong University.

Echoing Guan, Martin Creaner, director general of the World Broadband Association, emphasized that there exist huge opportunities for Europe and China to collaborate.

As the mobile congress demonstrates, AI is no longer just a feature but a driving force behind the next generation of telecommunications, smart devices and intelligent networks.

With expanding global cooperation and increasing technological breakthroughs, the "AI+" era is poised to reshape the digital world in ways we have only begun to imagine.

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