5G was a key focus at GITEX GLOBAL 2024, the world’s largest tech and startup event, where visitors explored the future of wireless technology through AI and its potential to power a hyperconnected world with groundbreaking innovations and insightful discussions.

The event, titled Intelligent Connectivity, featured thought-provoking discussions alongside exhibitors showcasing revolutionary products and services set to transform the world. This comes as GSMA predicts a significant shift in connectivity, with 1.4 billion devices linked to 5G by 2025, driving a US$1.1 trillion IoT market within a $3.9 trillion mobile economy.

The programme brought together influential voices from global companies and organisations, including Khalid Murshed, Chief Technology and Information Officer at e&, Wang Hui, President of NCE Data Communication Domain at Huawei China, and Thomas Lamanauskas, Deputy Secretary-General of ITU Switzerland. Other participants included Roque Lozano, SVP of Network Infrastructure MEA at Nokia, Kazuhiro Gomi, President and CEO of NTT Research, and SG Chung, Chief AI Global Officer at SK Telecom.

In addition to the discussions, exhibitors such as Huawei, e&, Nokia, China Telecom, Ericsson, Cisco, and Beyon presented next-generation 5G solutions, reinforcing GITEX GLOBAL’s role as a key platform for exploring the future of connectivity and digital transformation.

Khalid Murshed of e&, one of the largest telecom operators in the Middle East and North Africa, discussed the transformative potential of network capabilities with 5G and AI.

He said, “5G and 5G-Advanced provide a platform for innovation, enhancing the network to meet evolving demands. We are building networks not just for technology leadership but to enable new use cases, with live networks and private 5G already operational.”

Huawei, a global ICT provider, identified key technologies, including 5G-Advanced (5G-A), unified data, AI, and cloud computing, as crucial for supporting rapid, low-latency communication and advanced applications.

The event also highlighted 5G’s role in the future of mobility. Siyuan Liu, Head of IoT Partnership and Strategy, Greater China at China Unicom Global, discussed how the company is accelerating AI and vehicle connectivity, with 5G central to the development of autonomous vehicles, improving decision-making, transportation efficiency, and safety.

Wang Hui of Huawei emphasised that AI applications are transforming industries, including autonomous vehicles and AI health services in China.

Thousands of attendees witnessed disruptive 5G-powered innovations from leading tech companies. e& announced a collaboration with Vodafone Business IoT to bring in-vehicle connectivity and enhanced digital services to Mercedes-Benz drivers in the UAE, with commercial availability expected by mid-2025.

e& also showcased the Nissan Hyper-Force, an all-electric supercar connected via e& UAE 5G SIM cards, and launched human-digital advisors using hologram and AI technology to address the diverse cultural needs of telecom customers in the UAE.