MWC: 5 Ways AI Will Transform the Mobile Industry in 2025
BARCELONA—Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2025 drew over 100,000 attendees, 2,900 exhibitors, and 1,900 speakers. The overarching trend connecting the myriad of new products and concepts on display was clear: Artificial Intelligence (AI). MWC 2025 demonstrated that AI has permeated every aspect of the mobile industry, from silicon to software. Here are five key ways AI will transform the mobile landscape in the coming year.
1. More Phone Makers Are Going All In on AI
Several manufacturers announced significant AI initiatives at MWC 2025, signaling a shift towards more intelligent devices.
- Honor: Announced its “Alpha Plan”, a $10 billion investment over the next five years focused on developing an “intelligent phone” incorporating agentic AI across phones, computers, tablets, and wearables.
- Oppo: Outlined a strategy centered on AI-powered productivity, creativity, and imaging, including an undisclosed R&D investment and collaborations with Google and MediaTek. Oppo aims to bring generative AI features to 100 million users before the end of the year.
2. AI Is Trickling Down to Midrange Phones
AI features, once exclusive to high-end phones, are becoming available in more affordable models.
- Samsung: Showcased the Galaxy A56, a $499 handset with access to flagship Galaxy AI features.
- Realme: Plans to bring Google’s Gemini to midrange devices like the $430 Realme 14 Pro.
3. AI Is Coming to Far More Products Than Phones
AI is expanding beyond smartphones, appearing in various devices, including smart glasses.
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TCL RayNeo X3 Pro: Features an AI translation tool that translates spoken language into text and then displays it in the viewer’s preferred language.
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BleeqUp Ranger: Smart glasses for cyclists that use AI to tag specific moments in videos, such as sudden swerving or rapid acceleration.
4. Telcos Are Adopting AI to Repair Networks and Lower Costs
Telecommunication companies are increasingly using AI to improve network performance and reduce expenses.
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T-Mobile (Deutsche Telekom): Is set to release an AI-powered phone later this year using the “MyMagenta” application providing virtual assistant capabilities. Deutsche Telekom partnered with Google Cloud to develop the RAN Guardian, which uses AI agents to monitor and resolve network issues in real-time.
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Verizon: Has deployed an AI-powered RAN Intelligent Controller to monitor and adjust power usage at cell sites based on real-time customer demand, resulting in significant cost savings. In its first month of deployment, Verizon saved $2 million.
5. AI Is Being Deployed at the Chip Level
AI is being integrated into even the smallest components of mobile devices, like modems.
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MediaTek M90 5G Modem: Includes MediaTek Modem AI to evaluate network conditions, optimize power use, reduce latency, and stabilize connectivity. This results in faster internet speeds and improved battery efficiency.
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Qualcomm Snapdragon X85 Modem: Employs an “efficiency-minded air data-traffic controller” to provide bandwidth where it is most needed, which optimizes performance and improves power efficiency.
AI integration extends to nearly every aspect of modern system-on-a-chip (SoC) designs, including the CPU, GPU, ISP, and NPU, among others, further pushing the boundaries of mobile innovation.
