The Mobile World Congress (MWC) is set to be the world showcase for global innovations in technologies for mobile devices and consequently for the most advanced digital technologies from 3 to 6 March in Barcelona, where “artificial intelligence will once again generate the greatest expectations because applications harnessing this technology cut across the board and especially because it is constantly and quickly evolving.”
This is the view of Joan Mas, scientific director of the Eurecat technology centre’s Digital Technologies Area, who adds that “once we have addressed and to some extent taken on board the impact of Generative AI and the revolution brought about by language models and diffusion models, we are now heading towards what is known as Agentic AI, i.e. applications built on autonomous agents with greater ability to make decisions based on past experience but also on analysis of the context, resulting in tools with greater autonomy.”
Agentic AI will therefore “feature prominently in several sessions at MWC and some companies will present technology stacks to develop this type of device-integrated artificial intelligence.”
Cross-cutting artificial intelligence will be on display at the congress in applications where artificial intelligence is embedded with other technologies. Integration of robotics with AI and other emerging technologies is increasingly apparent and the Mobile World Congress will present breakthroughs in this area with applications for optimising and automating processes featuring greater personalisation.
Connected vehicles and smart mobility
Another example of how artificial intelligence cuts across all areas is how it can be used in connected vehicles and smart mobility. This field has many facets, ranging from enhanced connectivity due to the expansion of 5G networks and the promise of even more efficient connectivity with the future deployment of 6G (currently still in the research and development stage) to the design of more usable and therefore safer driver interfaces.
Breakthroughs in edge computing will also be a key theme at the Mobile World Congress as this technology enables enterprises to better control their operations and, crucially, data security. Tied to the expansion of multi-connectivity of devices and the Internet of Things (IoT), edge computing allows network scalability and flexibility, lessens reliance on the cloud and unlocks real-time applications.
Latest developments in mobile devices and AI sustainability
“The Mobile World Congress will continue to display the latest developments in mobile device technologies such as improvements in flexible displays, more energy-efficient electronics, integration of new and better devices (cameras, biometric sensors), batteries and charging systems and more,” says Mas, who also heads the Centre of Innovation for Data Tech and Artificial Intelligence (CIDAI).
In lockstep, the Mobile World Congress “will additionally address the sustainability of artificial intelligence, an increasingly significant issue as use of AI spreads globally.”
Here, “the quest for more sustainable artificial intelligence with less environmental impact will be reflected in aspects such as the emphasis on energy-efficient devices, more efficient data centres and circular economy initiatives for the reuse of components and responsible e-waste management.”
