6G – the key to Britain’s AI future
Tom Corcoran, Director (Government Affairs)
| Qualcomm Technologies International
6G will be far more than a faster connection. It will be an AI-native platform combining connectivity, compute and sensing, marking the convergence of connectivity and AI. 6G will shape how we live and work – but only if the UK takes a proactive approach to its deployment
Artificial intelligence (AI) is no longer a future promise; it is already reshaping how businesses make decisions, how public services respond, and how citizens experience the world. Achieving this at a global scale shifts the focus from AI applications to the infrastructure that supports them. Our future AI-enabled economy will depend on mobile infrastructure – and the next generation of this will be 6G.
Since our founding in 1985, Qualcomm has invested more than $110bn in R&D to invent the foundational standards underpinning wireless connectivity – from 3G to 6G today. 6G will be more than a faster network. It will be the first AI-native system, embedding intelligence, compute and sensing into the fabric of the network itself.
Where 5G connects people and devices, 6G connects intelligence to everything, bringing together AI capabilities on devices, at the network edge, and in the cloud. As the first AI-native system, 6G will be critical in managing high AI workloads by sharing them across devices, edge network infrastructure and data centres, depending on where they can be most quickly and efficiently carried out. By tightly integrating connectivity and compute, 6G transforms networks from passive conduits into conductors of AI – supporting privacy, security and the efficient use of energy resources.
6G will underpin the rise of agentic and physical AI, where autonomous systems perceive, decide and act across connected environments rather than in isolation. This will bring better outcomes for people, where wearables feed intelligence into healthcare systems, enabling early intervention and improved health outcomes; physical AI systems in factories will sense conditions and adapt in real time to correct faults and increase productivity; and transport networks actively manage traffic to increase safety and prevent disruption.
Moreover, programmable, cloud-native interfaces will be integrated into 6G networks. This will allow developers to build AI systems on the network more easily, shifting the technology from one that is controlled by a few large platforms to one built, deployed and improved by many. In doing so, 6G makes AI a shared, foundational technology that improves both our digital and physical worlds.
6G also introduces integrated sensing into networks, enabling them to detect movement and changes in the physical environment. This creates new possibilities for managing crowded public spaces, monitoring critical infrastructure, and identifying potential safety risks such as foreign drones and other threats.
This is rapidly moving from concept to reality, with global standards expected in 2028 and early deployments in 2029. The countries that lead by making spectrum available with a developed integrated telecoms and AI strategy for 6G rollout will be best placed to capture the economic and strategic benefits that follow.
The United Kingdom has already identified advanced connectivity as a priority, but 6G will not follow the same trajectory as previous generations of mobile. Waiting for the market to mature before engaging risks ceding opportunities at the point they matter most.
To avoid this, the government should build on its early work under the Wireless Infrastructure Strategy and consider the following steps.
First, the UK needs a well-planned spectrum policy that recognises the opportunity and supports the deployment of 6G.
Second, government needs an integrated telecoms and AI strategy, including data centres.
Third, government needs to encourage 6G deployments by supporting real-world applications in areas such as healthcare, advanced manufacturing, public safety and robotics.
Finally, it is essential to maintain a strong intellectual property system that encourages innovators to keep investing in the technology advancements and associated standards that underpin the UK’s mobile infrastructure.
To learn more about Qualcomm’s work on 6G and AI, visit qualcomm.com/research/6g. For policy enquiries, contact Tom Corcoran, Director of Government Affairs, at [email protected]
