• The GSMA is urging faster deployment of standalone 5G networks to unlock industrial and enterprise use cases.

• The industry is pushing for broader, more inclusive access to artificial intelligence.

• Cybersecurity and digital trust are emerging as central conditions for future growth.

As digital networks become the backbone of the global economy and artificial intelligence spreads across every layer of the value chain, the 20th edition of Mobile World Congress opened with a clear message: complete the shift to standalone 5G, make AI open and inclusive, and strengthen cybersecurity in the face of rising threats.

The roadmap, laid out by the GSMA, the event’s organizer, reflects a broader effort to position the mobile industry around collective responsibility. Speaking at the opening session, GSMA Director General Vivek Badrinath framed the challenge directly: without sustained investment, equitable access to new AI tools, and a shared commitment to security, the promise of the digital economy begins to erode.

The GSMA described the current moment as decisive, as advanced 5G, AI, and accelerating cyber threats rapidly reshape economies and societies. The call is not only technological, but political and economic. Held since Monday, March 2 at the Fira Gran Via in Barcelona, the event brings together industry executives, policymakers, startups, and regulators to shape the next phase of digital growth.

Building Out Standalone 5G

The first priority repeated throughout the conference is investment in standalone 5G networks — meaning 5G built on a native 5G core rather than relying on 4G infrastructure.

The goal is to move from coverage-driven deployment to capability-driven networks, offering lower latency, improved quality-of-service control, deeper automation, and the technical conditions needed for industrial uses such as private networks, logistics, and health care.

The GSMA’s message is direct: unlocking the full potential of 5G requires accelerated investment. According to its report The Mobile Economy 2026, presented at the conference, 57% of mobile connections worldwide are expected to run on 5G by 2030.

Expanding Access to Inclusive AI

The second priority centers on broadening access to open and inclusive AI. Behind that language lies a growing imbalance.

AI capabilities are advancing quickly, but access remains uneven — whether in cloud and edge infrastructure, data availability, skills, language coverage, or real-world applications. The GSMA highlighted a striking paradox: while 96% of the world’s population lives under mobile broadband coverage, more than three billion people remain offline. The gap is not purely technical. It is economic, cultural, and educational.

Inclusive AI raises similar questions. Accessibility depends on cost, interfaces, and localized content. It also involves ethics, including bias and representation, as well as interoperability through standards and application programming interfaces (APIs).

MWC 2026 is organized around the theme “The Age of Intelligence,” structured across six tracks where AI is central: Intelligent Infrastructure, ConnectAI, Enterprise AI, AI Nexus, Technology for All, and Game Changers. The agenda reflects an industry trying to move from demonstrations to scaled deployment, without losing sight of social impact.

Securing the Entire Ecosystem

The third priority is security — and more broadly, trust.

As digitization expands, so does the attack surface. Networks are increasingly software-based, functions are virtualized, AI is embedded into operations, and services are exposed through APIs.

The GSMA report projects that the global cost of cybercrime, including fraud, will rise from $9.22 trillion in 2024 to $15.63 trillion in 2029. More than 90% of operators surveyed describe the threat environment as high or very high.

In response, the GSMA is calling for closer coordination among telecom operators, technology companies, digital platforms, and public authorities to combat fraud, secure digital identities, strengthen network resilience, and protect users. Security, the message suggests, must become a prerequisite for growth rather than an afterthought.

Beyond the policy agenda, MWC 2026 signals the continued transformation of the event itself. It has evolved from a smartphone showcase into a global platform for intelligent infrastructure. Spanish media describe a large-scale edition, with more than 110,000 professionals attending, around 2,900 exhibitors, and more than 1,200 speakers.

The GSMA has also introduced new program elements such as “Airport of the Future,” “New Frontiers,” and “CircuitX,” reflecting how connectivity now extends far beyond mobile phones — into mobility systems, industrial operations, public services, and emerging domains ranging from satellites to next-generation technologies.

Muriel EDJO