Verizon CTO calls for 6G uplink breakthrough to meet AI demand

NEW DELHI: Verizon CTO Yago Tenorio has said that the telecom industry requires a significant breakthrough in 6G uplink capacity. This need arises from future artificial intelligence (AI) applications, which are expected to fundamentally alter network traffic patterns, according to a Light Reading report.

Mobile networks are currently designed to prioritise faster download speeds. They dedicate substantial bandwidth to downstream connections, with typical downlink-to-uplink ratios of 9:1 or 8:2. However, AI usage could shift from transactional prompts to applications needing “continuous contextual awareness,” Tenorio said. This would drive the downlink-uplink ratio closer to 1:1.