5G and generative artificial intelligence, or Gen AI, are two technologies driving business objectives forward for enterprises worldwide. A 5G network, whether through a wireless wide area network (WWAN) or a private network, helps transfer large amounts of data with low latency and a more secure connection. As for Gen AI, there are many cases where it is streamlining business insights and automating repetitive tasks across multiple industries.
While both technologies are providing value separately, their true value is realized once they are paired together. More specifically, Gen AI and 5G can — and quite frankly should — co-exist in a mutual relationship that maximizes network performance while simultaneously optimizing each Gen AI use case.
Senior Product Marketing Manager at Ericsson Enterprise Wireless Solutions.
How 5G benefits Gen AI
The very nature of Gen AI, whether training a large language model (LLM) or using a mainstream Gen AI tool, makes 5G its perfect partner.
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Training a Gen AI model is a long process with multiple steps. It begins with collecting the data upon which the model will be trained. Then, there’s introducing the data to the model and, depending on the model’s function, dictating how the model is supposed to respond. Next, whoever is training the model must, in real-time, tune the model to ensure it is reacting correctly. This process requires almost instantaneous feedback to correct inaccurate or irrelevant responses from the model. For example, if you’re training a customer service bot, you don’t want it responding with product prices if the customer asked for product features.
Any enterprise attempting to train a LLM, could be leveraging as much as petabytes if not more to ensure the Gen AI function is able to support massive workflows and a large customer base. This training process requires large and continuous data transfers and, therefore, requires a network to facilitate these transfers with high bandwidth and low latency. A centrally managed 5G WWAN network allows network administrators to leverage the power of 5G and ensure each data training exercise gets the network support it needs. This could include traffic steering to create bandwidth for Gen AI training or link bonding to increase the bandwidth necessary for large data transfers. Alternatively, enterprises can leverage a private 5G network to ensure each Gen AI model has dedicated 5G bandwidth while the model is trained.
Once a model is deployed, or if enterprise personnel leverage a more general AI tool like ChatGPT, the goal is to get live responses to complete business goals. For example, Gen AI-enhanced cameras are becoming an everyday use case for businesses to collect large amounts of actionable data. These cameras, which organizations also use for security purposes, can track who enters a facility, the number of people entering, and their license plates. The camera then shares all that data back to a central system for analysis. Often these cameras are placed in areas where it might be cost-prohibitive or too time-consuming to run wires. Therefore, 5G can play an important role in ensuring that video from the cameras is delivered back to its AI-analytics platform with a high level of performance and reliability.
How Gen AI benefits 5G networks
If an enterprise invests in a 5G WWAN or a private 5G network, the hope is to have a highly available network that’s ready to support business objectives. Gen AI technology can help improve the performance and availability of the overall network, while simultaneously streamlining operations for IT teams in charge of network administration.
A high performance and available network
Gen AI models are trained on massive amounts of data about the operation of the network. Based on this data, a model can identify a baseline for network traffic performance, allowing Gen AI to detect disruptions or anomalies. The model can also pin-point the root cause of the issue and formulate recommendations on how to troubleshoot the issue before it impacts network service – and ultimately impacts business success. This intelligent approach to fault management keeps 5G networks highly available.
Technology that supports network administrators
For lean IT teams that are constantly asked to do more with less, Gen AI can be the perfect asset to alleviate team workload and increase team efficiency. Most notably, some enterprises are implementing LLM-based Virtual Experts into their network administrative workflows. These virtual experts are helping some administrators get real-time answers to questions about the network using Natural Language Processing, or AI that allows software to understand and communicate in human language.
In the past, a difficult query about network performance could force the network administrator to consult multiple technical documents. Now, the Gen AI based Virtual Expert can synthesize information from many different documents to provide an answer to the administrator in just a few sentences or through graphs – saving valuable time for today’s IT teams.
Gen AI’s role in network security
Gen AI will be especially useful for network security purposes. Today’s enterprise networks are experiencing an unprecedented amount and sophistication of attacks. In fact, some threat actors are even leveraging Gen AI to help them. Network security personnel already see everything from more targeted phishing attacks to new forms of mass-produced malware.
It’s only right that enterprises use Gen AI to protect their networks. Leveraged correctly, Gen AI tools can monitor your 5G network for all types of unusual behavior. This includes unusual or unauthorized sign-ons, phishing attempts, and various malware. Gen AI will provide real-time alerts — on the very same 5G network — so IT security teams can quickly respond and minimize any network damage.
Investing in technologies that work together
As enterprises across each industry lean further into a digitally connected world, there will be less room for investment in technologies that operate in silos. Organizations that implement technologies that complement each other will be able to maximize their investments while also gaining a competitive advantage. Gen AI and 5G provide a perfect example. With Gen AI set to power the future of automation and 5G primed to become the standard for connectivity, investing in both will create faster data analysis, streamlined processes and ultimately expedite business success.
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