During the MWC Barcelona 2025, Bob Chen, the President of Huawei Optical Business Product Line, proposed the evolution of optical networks towards AI Optical Network (AI ON) in the era of artificial intelligence. This transformation aims to ensure high-quality 5A communication, laying a solid foundation for the growth and prosperity of AI.
The era of AI is characterized by three key features: AI application everywhere, AI computing power everywhere, and native AI everywhere. These trends require networks that can identify service types, provide differentiated connectivity, and ensure optimal service experience. Additionally, networks must provide deterministic connectivity to support flexible and efficient computing power planning, as well as integrate AI capabilities to enhance service quality and network efficiency.
Bob Chen emphasized that since the release of the target network for the AI era in 2024, Huawei has been collaborating with global clients to promote continuous innovation. The next-generation optical network evolution, called AI ON, is now clearer and characterized by the following features:
– Awareness: Optical networks must accurately identify service types based on traffic patterns and flow directions to meet bandwidth, latency, and reliability requirements.
– Always On Demand: Future optical networks should provide real-time differentiated connectivity based on specific service needs, offering tailored packages like a three-hour 1 Gbps bandwidth to a gaming user.
– Assurance: Optical networks should guarantee high-quality connectivity regardless of network changes or service fluctuations, ensuring specific latency and zero packet loss for all services.
– Autonomous O&M: Future networks must proactively identify and mitigate potential risks before affecting users, achieving self-recovery and optimization beyond traditional reactive maintenance.
– AI Native: Full-stack native AI capabilities should be embedded in network terminals, devices, and management systems to accelerate network intelligence, enhancing device performance using small models on terminals.
In conclusion, Bob Chen highlighted that AI represents a transformative shift in human society, offering unprecedented opportunities for the ICT industry. Just as 5A signifies the highest service quality in industries like hospitality and tourism, first-class connectivity will be essential to leverage these opportunities. Huawei aims to collaborate with the industry to advance optical networks to AI ON, provide 5A quality connectivity, and drive new growth in the era of AI.
