‘AI In Action: From Strategy to Scalable Deployment’ features Vijay Karunamurthy, Former Field CTO | AI Startup Founder, ScaleAI; Beena Ammanath, Global Deloitte AI Institute leader, Deloitte; Ben Kus, CTO, Box Inc.; Atilla Tinic, CIO, Qualcomm; Kevin Chung, Chief Strategy Officer, Writer; Martin Kon, President & COO, Cohere and John Watson, Group President, Bell.

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‘Building the Intelligent and Resilient Enterprise’ features Ali Kashani, CEO, ServeRobotics; Mike Finley, CEO, Boingo Wireless and Emily Fontaine, Global Head of Venture Capital, IBM.

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‘The Big Picture’ opening keynote features Lara Dewar, CMO, GSMA; Ajit Pai, President & CEO, CTIA; Kyle Malady, Chair, CTIA & CEO, Verizon Business; Anil Jain, Global Managing Director – Strategic Consumer Industries, Google Cloud; Jim Siders, CIO, Palantir and Atif Rafiq, CEO and Cofounder, Ritual.

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Mobile World Live‘s Justin Springham has the best bits from the keynote conference, where ‘enterprise’ and ‘AI’ were the words on everyone’s mind.

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Group president of business markets for Bell John Watson (pictured, centre) said the partnership is a key reason for its revenue projection.

The deal combines Cohere’s advanced large language models (LLMs) and agentic AI platform with Bell’s sovereign infrastructure to offer tailored services to Canadian government and enterprise customers.

“It’s the perfect time to meld those two together,” Watson said.

“And what folks should realise is whatever we do internally with a wall-to-wall Cohere landscape, we then build the intellectual property, the capabilities and then take that to go to market.”

“AI and enterprise are hard,” he said. “We don’t make it easy. We make it easier.”

In May, the operator announced plans for six data centres in British Columbia which will use 500 megawatts of clean power. Watson said the first site is up and the second is scheduled to go live by the end of the year.

Watson noted using a full AI stack from Cohere in combination with its AI fabric launched in May will enable Bell to be a champion for Canadian companies by supporting their sovereign needs.  

“It’s sovereignty without solitude.”

“It is the necessity of figuring out how you manage that [Software-as-a-Service] SaaS layer so you can fully operationalise and manage that LLM that’s still being connected but meeting the sovereign requirements.”

Pitch
Cohere COO and president Martin Kon (pictured, right) said the Canadian company has global ambitions, as borne out by work with Fujitsu in Japan and LG Electronics in South Korea.

Unlike its six AI competitors, Kon said Cohere is the only one not controlled by big US tech entities.

“We’re fully independent, which means we do whatever’s right for our customers, partners and investors.”

“It also means that we’re completely platform agnostic, even hardware agnostic. We’re not tied to any one hyperscaler. In fact, we deploy on all of them.”

While sovereignty is top of mind for some companies and countries Kon used an analogy to explain Cohere’s position.

“I’m not going to buy Canadian chocolate just because it’s Canadian.”

“You can’t compromise on quality and on technical leadership just because it’s sovereign.”

To that end, Cohere and Bell Canada have partnerships in place with companies including Nvidia, AMD, Dell and Oracle to bring the best capabilities together.

“Our partners will have capabilities that are better even than our own standard capabilities that are unique and specific for the needs of their customers and their partners,” Kon said.

For banking, insurance, oil and gas, energy utilities, transportation, supply chain and healthcare verticals, the partnership protects dedicated clusters and provides dedicated capacity within Bell’s data centre environments.

Kon explained while Cohere will never have a pro-consumer chatbot like its peers, Bell has thousands of SMB partnerships he said would benefit from the operator deploying North.

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Tinic, Qualcomm’s CIO, stated people in the role are transitioning from technical architects to requiring a deep understanding of business outcomes while managing AI agents.

“You have a new digital worker in the environment in the form of an AI agent,” he said. “The way that worker operates is completely different. It’s going to be able to handle more complex solutions.”

For workflows, he explained AI agents can handle massive amounts of data while performing multiple tasks in parallel.

“I think it’s going to be majorly transformative within the ecosystem itself,” he added.

Tinic stated Qualcomm’s digital transformation set it up nicely for AI agents, but instead of doing application workflow in the cloud it will now run its AI workflow on-site.

“I can’t think of anything that’s more important right now than your data strategy,” he said. “That’s going to power your workflow, but it’s [also] going to power those AI agents in terms of giving them the information they need to do deep reasoning and your integration patterns”.

“The good news is if you made great progress on your digital transformation, you’re probably in good shape. If you didn’t make the progress you wanted to on your digital transformation, then you have homework to do still.”

He advised CIOs to view AI not just as a use case but as a fundamental re-architecture requiring questions about workflows, skills, security and integration to prepare for a new era where AI agents are integral workforce members. 

“Now we’re in a world where we have to think about ourselves as business architects because part of that workforce is being governed by the IT organisation,” he said. “I can’t think of a time where it’s more imperative for CIOs to really understand the business and the business outcomes because you’re going to be at the heart of it.”

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To set the stage for the pillars, Fontaine, global head of venture capital at IBM, provided an overview of just how explosive the AI sector is.

She explained enterprise adoption of AI has surged dramatically, increasing from 26 per cent a few months ago to 42 per cent, highlighting a critical trend toward tailored offerings across industries.

In the first half of 2025 alone, AI investment equalled $104 billion, surpassing all of 2024, reflecting a fast-moving and heavily funded ecosystem.

The AI market is projected to reach $5 trillion by 2033, representing a significant portion of global GDP.

“What’s exciting about that is it’s creating unprecedented opportunities for startups, for investors, for enterprises, for the entire ecosystem,” she said.

When it comes to investing in AI, the first pillar Fontaine examines is strategic alignment, which she defines as ensuring a long-term fit within organisational goals and technology trends.

“The next thing I look at is both technology and product,” Fontaine stated. “Do you have technology that’s both interesting, innovative and disruptive?”

The third pillar is market opportunity, which is assessing whether there’s an actual market for the company or partnership.

“We see a lot of interesting startups that pop up, but there’s no market yet for them,” Finley noted. “The next thing you’ve got to look at, and this is really important as you’re thinking about either investing or partnering, is the team.

“You’ve got to double down on the team. Do they have the technical expertise? When I say team, I don’t just mean the team of the developers and the founders or the demand-making team.”

The last pillar is financial discipline which includes confirming sound business models and financial structures. This approach helps differentiate startups that are genuinely driving value versus those merely experimenting with AI.

She recommends live demonstrations using real data to verify true AI capabilities.

“The question I’m asking people is, are you experimenting with AI or are you executing with AI? The next question, is have you done POCs?  That’s where you start to see the folks who are experimenting, the folks who are executing, the folks who are becoming a fabric of an institution, the fabric of an enterprise,” she explained.

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Unveiled at MWC25 Las Vegas, the Mobile Economy North America 2025 report revealed that the mobile sector generated $1.6 trillion in economic value in 2024, equivalent to 5 per cent of the continent’s GDP, with its share forecast to rise to 10.2 per cent by the end of the decade.

5G accounted for 55 per cent of mobile connections across the continent last year, a figure forecast to reach 89 per cent by 2030 driven by surging enterprise use cases for AI, private networks and IoT. The mobile ecosystem supported 2.6 million jobs across North America in 2024, added the report.

The study also identified the US as the world’s largest 5G Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) market, recording 11.6 million connections at the end of 2024, with the figure expected to exceed 25 million by 2030. In addition, mobile operators are projected to invest $348 billion in capital expenditure between 2024 and 2030 to advance next-generation connectivity.

Looking ahead, the GSMA predicted that 28 per cent of mobile-enabled growth will come from the services sector in the next six years, underlining how next-generation connectivity is reshaping traditional industries.

The industry association highlighted advances in open RAN, AI-driven networks and satellite connectivity as central to sustaining the region’s technological stronghold. It also pointed to robust spectrum policy, simplified regulation and cybersecurity resilience as critical enablers for continued growth.

GSMA’s report covered the US, Canada and the Caribbean.

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“What strikes me about that first mission is not just the engineering genius, but the boldness and bravery needed to make the impossible, possible,” she said. “It’s a boldness that resonates with us in the mobile industry too.”

In her opening keynote, Dewar stated lessons from the Apollo moon missions strike a chord across three key areas: connectivity, trust and agility.

Connectivity
She noted when NASA planned the Apollo 11 moon landing it had to do something never done before and that it had to do the landing without losing communication.

“Connectivity unlocks possibility,” she explained. “It was true then, and it remains true today.”

She stated North America is one of the global industry leaders with 55 per cent of customers using 5G networks.

The mobile industry contributes about $1.6 trillion, or 5 per cent, to North America’s GDP, which is expected to double to $3.7 trillion, or 10.2 per cent of GDP, by 2030.

“As 5G matures, we are now focused on completing the 5G journey, unlocking new commercial opportunities through standalone networks,” Dewar said. “As enterprises continue their digital transformation journeys, our networks and technologies are not endpoints. They are launchpads for innovation.”

Trust
During the Apollo 11 moon landing, Dewar noted astronauts, engineers, and mission controllers faced life-or-death decisions every day, which required everyone to trust the systems they built.

“As our world becomes more interconnected, trust has never been more essential,” she stated. “When we trust our teams, systems and data, we can move boldly, exploring new opportunities and developing new services.”

She cited the Telco AI Cloud Pilot as an example of the telecom industry players working together.

“Here, innovators from AT&T, Nvidia, Dell Technologies, Archetype AI and Khasm Labs have worked together to explore how network operators can become AI cloud providers,” she explained. “Together the team has developed and validated a blueprint for leveraging edge infrastructure.”

She also called out the GSMA Intelligence Online AI Inference Calculator, which is a tool that helps organisations model the benefits of running AI workloads at the network edge.

“Trust turns risk into opportunity. It gives us a safe space to explore new ideas and innovate together.”

Agility
While trust turns risk into opportunity, it also creates the foundation for innovation “and gives us the confidence to take the next leap forward,” according to Dewar.

“Which is where agility, our third lesson from Apollo, becomes essential,” she noted. “The Apollo programme wasn’t just one mission; it was a series of iterations.

“Today, our industry needs the same mindset,” she explained. “Agility will win the future.”

Dewar highlighted North America’s history as a technology leader, which includes direct-to-device services from T-Mobile US and Starlink and Skylo Technologies powering Verizon’s SOS messaging.

She also called out the development of open RAN and AI-driven RAN architectures and GSMA Open Gateway as pivotal technology innovations.

“And so, as the mobile industry we must commit to transforming ourselves into trusted digital transformation partners,” she concluded. “Agility is no longer optional. It’s how we win the future.”

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“These venues rely on Boingo to deliver seamless, secure wireless networks across public cellular Wi-Fi and private 5G,” he said. “Our neutral host approach brings networks together, giving venues the reliable connectivity they depend on to operate, innovate and grow.”

Finley explained his company will celebrate its 25^th anniversary over the coming months.

“The world looked very different,” he said. “If you were in an airport, you checked in at the counter with a paper ticket, and your laptop used an Ethernet port.

“But at Boingo, we set out to change this.”

Finley used yesterday’s (14 October) deal with the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey as example of how far the company and technology have come.  

“It is one of the largest and most complex transportation agencies in the world, serving millions of people,” he explained. “With historic investments totalling $40 billion across its airports and bus terminals, the agency is transforming the region so transportation can be safer, more sustainable and future ready.”

He said the Port Authority is leading the way for the convergence of public cellular, private 5G, and next-gen Wi-Fi to deliver connectivity for each user.

“Public cellular powers passenger connectivity, Wi-Fi 6 supports high-speed applications and streaming and private 5G enable secure, high-bandwidth use cases like tarmac logistics and IoT-based safety systems,” he noted.

Finley stated the networks generate a massive amount of data but the Port Authority’s converged approach “allows data to flow freely so systems can communicate, insights can be shared, and smarter decisions can be made”.

“With connectivity, convergence, security, and innovation, it’s clear the Port Authority isn’t just adapting, they’re leading,” he said. “They’re setting a new benchmark for how a complex infrastructure should operate in a connected world.”

As for the next 50 years, Finley said next-gen connectivity is moving beyond flagship venues and into hospitals, office buildings, apartments, hotels, and convention centres, “transforming how these spaces operate”.

“Today, running the network at our venues is like running the network for a Super Bowl every single day,” he said. “It’s not easy, but we aren’t in this industry because it’s easy.”

He said the industry “is shaped by those who lead with vision and build with purpose”.

“Let’s keep pushing boundaries, solving problems, designing infrastructure that doesn’t just keep up with change, but drives it. Change before you have to, and the rest will fall into place”.

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Aside of granting the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) the ability to once again hold spectrum auctions, the bill also included a provision to provide access to the 800MHz band.

Pai channelled a line from Star Wars character Yoda when he implored regulators “to do, not try” when it came to the telecom industry gaining access to more spectrum.

“Spectrum is a key driver of innovation, not just for the mobile industry, but for adjacent technologies like artificial intelligence, the cloud, fixed broadband, and much more,” he said during his keynote address. “History tells us that when America leads in wireless, it doesn’t just change industry, it changes the world.”

Pai was chair of the FCC during President Trump’s first term, which he stated is when the US led the world in 5G development.

“The president bet on wireless innovation back then, and the wireless industry delivered,” he said. ”Fast forward to today, China leads in 5G availability, and America has fallen to third.

“But as a nation, we fell behind, because we did not act with urgency.”

He said the passing of the bill “is a clear repudiation of policy inertia that we’ve seen in recent years”.

“We once again have a chance to empower American entrepreneurs, and to benefit wireless consumers,” Pai explained. “And you’ll notice that I’m not saying that we will empower entrepreneurs. It’s simply that we have a chance to empower them. And that’s because progress is not the same as endpoints.

“That is to say, identifying bands and setting an ambitious target is not the same as making spectrum available.”

He credited Trump and Republican members of congress for passing the bill but stated it is up to the telecoms industry to “convert that potential to reality”.

“We need to execute,” he said.

Mission-critical
Malady, who joined Pai on stage, echoed some of the same sentiments. He said when operators use licenced spectrum CIOs across the healthcare and manufacturing sectors are more willing to bet on mission-critical applications.

“Since day one, carriers have always been worried about capacity,” said Malady, who is also chair of CTIA. “And if you give us enough capacity, then we can build ecosystems and platforms that allow small businesses to be able to grow.

“It’s super important that we got the authority back. It’s super important that we got 800MHz. But you [Pai] said it rightly. We need to execute now.”

Malady stated the industry and government need to figure out the best way to leverage the 800MHz spectrum while also developing a long-term plan.

“We kind of live a little bit hand-in-mouth as an industry,” he said. “We need to figure out what it’s going to be ten, 20, 30 years from now so we’re not just kind of always scrambling at the last minute.”

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Cristina Barlow, Head of Strategic Partnerships, discusses the progress rSIM is making with mobile network operators and how the market will evolve.

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GSMA CMO Lara Dewar told Mobile World Live (MWL) MWC25 Las Vegas is moving from the city’s convention centre to Fontainebleau Las Vegas hotel based on feedback from attendees, exhibitors, sponsors and other stakeholders.

“We’ve tailored this year’s event agenda to meet the evolving needs of senior business leaders and C-suite executives across North America,” she said. “This edition provides a more focused, thought leadership-driven event designed to foster high-level networking and real business outcomes.”

The $3.7-billion resort opened its doors in 2023 at the north end of the Las Vegas Strip after several developmental starts and stops.

“The move to the Fontainebleau reflects our commitment to creating the right environment for impactful conversations and connections,” Dewar explained.

This year’s conference has three overarching themes: Connected Industries, AI+ and Connected Enablers.

Dewar is proud of her  team’s work curating a variety of thought-leadership summits that will connect senior decision-makers across enterprise, government, and the tech ecosystem.

“Industry leaders and delegates will come together to discuss topics covering Smart Aviation, Agentic AI, eSIM, Satellite & NTN and Private Wireless Networks across targeted summits including CIO, Connected Airport, Connected Government & Defense, Gen AI, and Agentic AI,” Dewar stated.

During the two-day conference, Dewar said the Town Square will serve “as the heart of the event providing a dynamic environment designed to encourage purposeful networking surrounded by the buzz of the speaker stages”.

AI in action
The conference will highlight hot topics such as agentic AI and generative AI breakthroughs, with speakers from leading organisations showcasing how enterprises can transition from experimentation to scalable AI deployments to improve productivity and transform IT architectures.

“The important and truly exciting thing I’m increasingly seeing is technical innovation turn into real, tangible impact,” Dewar said.

During this year’s event, attendees will hear from speakers across the AI ecosystem, including Box Inc. CTO Ben Kus; Beena Ammanath, executive director, Deloitte Global AI Institute; Atilla Tinic, CIO, Qualcomm; and Vijay Karunamurthy, founder of ScaleAI.

“These innovators will showcase how enterprises can harness the power of AI to move from experimentation to scalable deployment, offering practical playbooks for CIOs aiming to boost productivity, unlock new business models, and transform IT architectures,” Dewar stated.

Connected Enablers
Dewar explained mobile technologies are projected to contribute $11 trillion to global GDP, nearly doubling the $6.5 trillion contribution from last year, with mobile operators playing a key role for delivering resilient networks.

Focus areas include APIs, edge computing, network programmability, security, and automation, with insights from industry leaders on intelligent automation and future-ready operations.

“Connected Enablers will focus on these building blocks that make enterprise transformation possible,” she noted.

Dewar stated attendees will gain insider insights into the latest advancements, cutting-edge capabilities, and real-world success stories shaping the future of enterprise connectivity.

“We are pleased to welcome leaders from IBM, Automation Anywhere, and Serve Robotics who will highlight how operators and technology partners are working together to scale intelligent automation and deliver more adaptable, future-ready operations,” she said

Connected Industries
For Connected Industries, Dewar said CIOs are urged to develop flexible, cloud-native infrastructures supporting low latency, secure data exchange, and AI integration, with 5G as a strategic enabler for new business models.

Private 5G networks are proving valuable in manufacturing, logistics, healthcare, and government, with examples such as smart aviation innovations enhancing airport security and operations.

“A prime example of digital transformation is emerging in the aviation sector,” Dewar noted. “At the upcoming Smart Aviation Summit, Mike Youngs, vice president of information technology at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport, will highlight how airports are using telecom innovations to elevate security, streamline passenger flows, and optimise operations.”

Speaker lineup
The event also features some of the top operator and vendor executives in North America during keynote addresses, along with leaders from government sectors and enterprises.

“Joining me during keynote one will be Ajit Pai, CTIA president & CEO, and Kyle Malady, CTIA chair and CEO of Verizon Business, as they open the dialogue on the future of enterprise connectivity in a dynamic fireside chat, setting the scene for an impactful two-day event,” Dewar said.

Additional day-one keynote addresses include Boingo Wireless CEO Mike Finley, IBM’s Emily Fontaine, vice president, global head of venture capital finance and operations, CFO, and Robotics CEO and co-founder Ali Kashani.

Bootcamp back
Lastly, Dewar said the Tech Careers Bootcamp, in partnership with Verizon, returns to MWC25 Las Vegas this year, which is a programme she is particularly thrilled to be part of.

“Helping introduce young talent to the wireless industry and the incredible career opportunities it offers is something I’m truly passionate about. It’s an honour to play a role in inspiring the next generation of innovators and digital leaders.”

Live keynote stream
MWL will be streaming all the keynotes live and free – watch here.

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