Revolutionising Optical Networks with AI at MWC Barcelona 2025
At MWC Barcelona 2025, Huawei introduced its vision for AI Optical Network (AI ON), marking a significant transformation in optical networking to support the rapid evolution of AI. Bob Chen, President of Huawei Optical Business Product Line, highlighted how AI-driven networks will provide 5A-quality connectivity, laying a robust foundation for AI growth and next-gen digital infrastructure.
The AI Era: A New Demand for Smarter Networks
The AI era is reshaping global digital landscapes, defined by three key characteristics:
- AI applications are everywhere, requiring ultra-reliable and low-latency connectivity.
- AI computing power is everywhere, demanding seamless network integration.
- AI-native solutions are everywhere, accelerating automation and efficiency.
These trends necessitate optical networks that intelligently sense service types, deliver customised connectivity, and provide deterministic, high-quality service experiences. Networks must also integrate AI to enhance both performance and efficiency, ensuring flexible and efficient computing power scheduling.
AI ON: The Future of Optical Networking
Since launching its target network strategy for the AI era in 2024, Huawei has worked closely with global partners to continuously innovate in optical networking. The company’s next-generation AI ON framework is structured around five key pillars:
- Awareness – Unlike traditional networks, AI ON can sense service types by analysing traffic patterns and flow directions. This ensures networks allocate resources based on bandwidth, latency, and reliability needs, improving user experience.
- Always On Demand – AI ON offers real-time, differentiated connectivity, catering to unique service requirements. For example, a gaming user could receive a three-hour, high-speed 1 Gbps bandwidth package, while a financial institution benefits from ultra-low-latency data transmission.
- Assurance – Optical networks must guarantee deterministic performance regardless of network congestion, faults, or service fluctuations. AI ON ensures zero packet loss and low-latency operations for mission-critical services.
- Autonomous Operations & Maintenance (O&M) – Moving beyond reactive troubleshooting, AI ON enables predictive O&M, allowing networks to self-identify and resolve risks before failures occur. This ensures continuous, seamless connectivity.
- AI Native – Huawei integrates full-stack AI capabilities into network devices, terminals, and management systems. AI-powered ONTs and FTTRs can dynamically identify application types and optimise performance using embedded small-scale AI models.
Shaping the Future of AI-Driven Connectivity
Bob Chen emphasised that AI is transforming industries worldwide, creating vast opportunities for the ICT sector. Premium connectivity symbolised by Huawei’s 5A standard—will be essential in unlocking these opportunities.
As 5A represents the highest quality in industries like hospitality and finance, Huawei aims to apply this standard to optical networks, ensuring seamless, intelligent, and high-performance connectivity for the AI era.
Huawei’s Commitment to AI-Powered Innovation
Huawei is committed to working with global industry leaders to advance AI ON technology and drive the next wave of optical networking innovation. By integrating AI into network infrastructures, Huawei’s AI ON vision is set to redefine connectivity, providing businesses and consumers with faster, smarter, and more efficient networking solutions.
As AI continues to reshape digital ecosystems, Huawei’s AI Optical Network initiative is paving the way for a more intelligent and responsive future.
