Sponsored Insight: The telecom and computing sectors have long pursued modular approaches for enhanced agility and performance. Yet, as AI transforms technological landscapes, ZTE’s Xu Ziyang advocates a strategic re-integration. The goal? Sustainable power delivery and capacity that precisely meets consumer demand.

This push for recombination comes amid soaring AI-related investments, which stretch operators and cloud services to the limits in accommodating AI’s heavy resource needs. Gartner projects AI investments to hit $1.5 trillion in 2025 and surpass $2 trillion by 2026, driven by AI’s integration into smartphones and PCs.

During ZTE’s Global Summit in Milan, Xu underscored the need for telecom technologies to address specific demands, like those brought by AI and computing shifts. He called for the formulation of networking and computing ‘curves’ to satisfy these demands.

AI necessitates enormous data mobility across both datacenters and networks, requiring bandwidths to leap from gigabits to terabits. As inference stages advance, reducing latency becomes critical, impacting consumer services like gaming and essential industrial applications.

Innovating at the Forefront

ZTE’s response includes launching advanced products such as parallel interconnects and high-speed switches, aligned with its AI Core strategy to embed AI into core architectures. This helps operators cater to consumer expectations, shifting from traffic to experience-driven models.

With an increased reliance on AI, telecom providers must adapt their networks and employ AI internally. Such technologies boost network resilience and flexibility. For instance, ZTE’s AI-enhanced baseband unit in 5G saves energy and detects scams with high accuracy, showcasing AI’s potential for network optimization.

AI’s role in analyzing network data for fault management is evident in ZTE’s partnership with Thailand’s AIS, enhancing network efficiency and minimizing response time and upgrade duration.

As consumer demand grows, access to affordable AI hardware becomes essential, evidenced by ZTE’s Nubia Neo phones targeting younger demographics with advanced functionalities.

Commitment to Sustainability

Xu highlighted the importance of cost-effective and sustainable AI practices by minimizing memory usage and deploying economical technologies. AI infrastructure must prioritize environmentally responsible power and cooling solutions.

Component reuse, especially GPU generations, remains pivotal in preserving investment value, as demonstrated by ZTE’s contributions to China’s National AI Training Center.

GSMA’s CEO John Hoffman echoed these sentiments, stressing the necessity of robust telecom frameworks to harness AI potential. ZTE’s initiatives in creating sustainable structures like China Mobile’s Green Telcom Cloud illustrate AI’s role in harmonizing resource use and extending equipment lifespan.

The accelerated fusion of computing and networking, undertaken sustainably, is crucial for realizing AI’s promises. ZTE commits to using cutting-edge technology to empower customers globally. Mutual collaboration remains vital to these endeavors.

Endorsed by ZTE.