Artificial intelligence (AI) promises to bring higher productivity and lower costs to enterprises. However, despite many companies trialing the technology, it is yet to be widely adopted, with IBM finding that just 25% of AI projects had delivered the expected return on investment.
To understand why, we need to look at what all modern technology relies on, connectivity. Without the correct infrastructure in place, even the most sophisticated technologies will fall short.
Head of Sales EMEA at Ericsson Enterprise Wireless Solutions.
New research from Ericsson’s annual State of Enterprise Connectivity Report shows 88% of business leaders in Europe believe a new era of connectivity is needed if they want to unlock the benefits of AI.
This is because technology like AI creates and consumes huge amounts of data to operate effectively, so it requires a network that can provide high bandwidth and low latency to support these needs.
Fortunately, 5G and Wireless WAN (WWAN) networks can provide the answer and act as the strategic enablers for innovation, resilience, and long-term corporate success.
The infrastructure holding AI back
Upgrading a fiber cable can take weeks, and in dense urban areas, it can cause severe disruption as workers dig up pavements and roads to reach it.
This leads to delays and high costs. Not only are outdated networks inconvenient, but as more pressure is added, they can quickly become unstable, which has a direct effect on productivity.
Over one quarter (28%) of businesses link unreliable connectivity to a loss of revenue, whilst a further 46% say it’s driving up operating costs.
However, many organizations still consider connectivity improvements to be an IT problem rather than a board-level priority.
As AI becomes deeply integrated into every facet of business operations, that mindset must change. Poor connectivity restricts advancement at every stage, from cloud migrations to the use of AI.
To overcome this, businesses must invest in safe, scalable, and future-ready networks that foster resilience if they want to fully realize the potential of AI. In these situations, 5G and WWAN networks are the answer.
A catalyst for productivity, sustainability, and growth
Connectivity has evolved into a business enabler rather than just an IT function.
In the UK, 69% of enterprises now see 5G as the best investment they can make in the next 12 months, ahead of robotics and automation (23%) and even AI (42%).
Meanwhile, across Europe, 87% believe 5G is crucial for boosting R&D and enabling enterprise-wide innovation.
AI-driven use cases are rapidly developing, but reliable, secure connectivity is essential to their success. Cellular networks are being used by 66% of UK firms to unlock new possibilities – from live-streaming high quality videos for first responders to AI-powered security systems in retail.
Likewise, the low-latency and high-bandwidth of 5G allows greater visibility and real-time insights into critical operations through its ability to support multiple IoT devices at once.
For applications that are time-sensitive, the stakes are especially high. For example, in an emergency situation, even minor delays can have life changing consequences, so a robust network infrastructure is not only advantageous but essential.
The focus is also on sustainability. 71% of companies claim that their capacity to collect emissions data is hampered by unreliable connectivity in remote areas. Laying a fiber cable to these areas is often costly and would take too long to be of use.
Whereas cellular connectivity is quick to install and can be controlled remotely through cloud-based tools, enabling monitoring and IoT devices to be installed across facilities, landscapes where needed. Centralized management of the network allows resource-constrained teams to easily install and manage.
A mutually reinforcing relationship
The benefits are not all one way, either, as 85% of businesses state AI is already improving their network performance. It can reduce the workload on IT teams and protect networks through its ability to analyze large amounts of data and spot anomalies.
More organizations are turning to AI to transform wireless WAN (WWAN) and private 5G from basic infrastructure into sophisticated systems that maximize performance and improve resilience.
There are already instances in the market of AI predicting traffic patterns, managing network resources efficiently, and being able to determine root causes of network issues with the recommended remediation. These tasks free up your IT teams to focus on more critical business objectives.
Not only can AI help maintain current WWAN performance, but it can also help top decision makers plan for their network’s future. Using AI for data analysis, automation, and predictive insights will provide more detailed input into network operations decisions covering costs, performance and optimization.
The future of AI starts with the right infrastructure
AI has the potential to revolutionize industries, but only if the supporting infrastructure is in place. Modern, dependable connectivity is now a business necessity, which has made networks like 5G and WWAN crucial facilitators of growth.
We're only beginning to see what might be accomplished when AI and connectivity are used in tandem. Businesses must treat them as a strategic duo, supporting one another to drive innovation and business value.
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