Presentations and lively discussions over three days explored the ways in which AI and other advancing technologies promise “super-powers” for 6G wireless, while at the same time posing challenges in areas such as security and sustainability.
For the first time, the Summit featured a student panel of doctoral candidates from schools including NYU Tandon School of Engineering; the University of Texas, Austin; Northeastern University; Technische Universität Dresden; and the University of Oulu in Finland.
Nokia’s Peter Vetter, President of Bell Labs Core Research, moderated the panel and engaged the students in a spirited round of discussion about opportunities in wireless; the benefits of industry collaboration with academia; and emerging aspects of wireless tech that attracted the students to the field.
Student panelists—including Ruth Gebremedhin and Mingjun Ying of NYU WIRELESS—predicted security will become a key focus as AI models are infused into research, practice, and products. They also saw AI as an accelerator for optimizing channels. Ying described using AI to drive application-aware propagation measurements with an eye toward better coverage.
Ruth echoed Ying’s sentiment, noting that sustainability and efficiency are key, particularly as AI tools infuse every corner of wireless architecture: “The use of AI comes with disadvantages around power use. I am looking into how to achieve sustainability while using AI as a tool.”
During the final day, another key Summit theme tied into the discussion: industry collaboration, about which students were enthusiastic. In roundtable settings, attendees shared perspectives on how research can address real-world needs and goals.