Revolutionize Business With 5G and AI Innovations

A smartphone that turns on the AC at home before you get there. A virtual personal assistant that recommends a new playlist based on your favorite songs. A thermometer that alerts windows to automatically open depending on the weather.

In a world driven by the Internet of Things (IoT), connected devices chatter with each other every day—and they’re speeding up their communications thanks to 5G connectivity.

But 5G offers much more than simple IoT conveniences. Combined with AI, 5G forms the foundational technology that can power virtually every industry and reshape the entire business landscape as we know it. Research shows that 5G wireless technologies can add $1.5 trillion to the U.S. GDP and create millions of jobs in Europe and China by 2025.¹ That’s because 5G and AI fuel the digital transformation that’s essential for economic growth, multiplying the productivity, cost savings and innovation that businesses need to scale.

“5G is a paradigm shift that can be felt in every industry,” says Kirti Gupta, Vice President of Technology and Economic Strategy, Qualcomm Incorporated. 

The manufacturing and automotive sectors, for example, are reimagining their business models, and wireless technologies can help close the digital divide for educators in underserved communities. In this rapid digital age, 5G is essentially the new “electricity” that accelerates transformation, says Gupta.

Digitally transform enterprises through the connected intelligent edge

“Sixty-four percent of data will be created outside a traditional data center,” says Cristiano Amon, President and CEO, Qualcomm Incorporated.² “And more data at the edge will require local intelligent processing.”

How does this come to life? The connected intelligent edge makes this possible with always-on 5G connectivity combined with on-device AI, edge computing and other innovations. That means enterprises can process data right where it’s located instead of uploading it all to a centralized public cloud for analysis. They can then make AI-driven decisions through local intelligent wireless devices as data streams in from the edge of the network.

AI can also be used to create digital twins—virtual simulations that predict outcomes and alert people to fix impending problems before they occur. Using digital twins, companies can test-run their products or operations before deploying them in the real world, saving time, reducing costs and amplifying ingenuity.

“At Qualcomm, we see the connected intelligent edge as a huge opportunity for digital transformation, and our innovations are designed to drive this critical growth,” says Amon.

Remake the modern wireless factory

Manufacturing is one industry that will most benefit from the connected intelligent edge.

“Factories can achieve a 30% gain in productivity,” says Gupta.³ A 5G-enabled factory helps reduce downtime, which can cost an average of $260,000 per hour.⁴ When companies cut the industrial wire, they can reconfigure factory layouts to meet shifting needs, and they can optimize processes by using real-time data and AI-enhanced industrial IoT tools. Wireless technologies can also help manufacturers remotely control robots, conveyors and vehicles on the factory floor, driving further efficiencies and scale.

“5G is a catalyst for Industry 4.0 because it helps manufacturers embrace greater automation, analysis and intelligence in their operations,” says John Smee, Senior Vice President of Engineering, Qualcomm Technologies Inc.

Turn cars into mobile living rooms and offices

“5G-enabled cars will become mobile living rooms and offices—a place to relax, entertain and be more productive,” says Nakul Duggal, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Automotive, Qualcomm Technologies Inc.

Imagine, for example, a connected car that can anticipate when you’ll have time to grab a cup of coffee before work, or one that streams videos and VR games from a digital cockpit to create an immersive in-car experience. A digital twin of the car could also predict when there will be more traffic or hotter temperatures, so drivers can recharge their electric vehicles to meet higher energy needs.

But 5G isn’t just redefining what cars can do in the future; it’s already creating safer roads today. Research shows that “connected vehicles can reduce the severity of crashes by 80%, saving billions in collision costs,” says Gupta.⁶

Close the digital divide with 5G and AI solutions

In addition to powering industry growth, 5G and AI can help underserved communities strengthen their economic and social development.

“The digital divide creates gaps between those with modern communications technology and those without,” says Angela Baker, Senior Director, Government Affairs, Qualcomm Incorporated. “5G provides a cost-effective way of leveling the playing field.”

In rural Kentucky, for instance, students who lacked internet access at home received 5G-enabled PCs from Qualcomm’s Wireless Reach Initiative, so they could learn virtually in various environments, resulting in improved technology skills for more than 75% of these children.⁷

5G can also help homes in the “last mile” of unconnected regions enjoy Wi-Fi through fixed wireless access solutions, and small businesses that may have lost real estate during the pandemic can run entire operations from a smartphone.

Lead a wireless world with Qualcomm

As a leader in wireless technologies that power the connected intelligent edge, Qualcomm invents 5G and AI solutions that connect virtually every industry and build the foundation of the 5G economy. Whether enterprises are looking to cut the industrial wire, reimagine the vehicle of the future, close the digital divide or more, Qualcomm’s technological breakthroughs can drive business value at scale and build a bridge to the future.

“The connected intelligent edge will help revolutionize our experiences,” says Don McGuire, Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer, Qualcomm Technologies Inc. “And 5G and AI are vital to this transformation.”

1. Accenture research, “The impact of 5G on the United States economy”; research sponsored by Qualcomm Technologies Inc.
2. IDC DataSphere Program, July 2021
3. Qualcomm Technologies Inc. research
4. Aberdeen research: Stat of the Week – The Rising Cost of Downtime, 2016
5. Qualcomm.com blog, “CES 2022: How the Snapdragon Digital Chassis is transforming the automotive industry”
6. Qualcomm Technologies Inc. research
7. Qualcomm Wireless Reach program research