Digitalization and AI to enhance energy grids and 6G connectivity

The International Energy Agency (IEA) reports that digital technologies and artificial intelligence could unlock up to 330 GW of capacity within existing electrical grids. This capacity, comparable to the total installed generation in France and South Korea, could be achieved by improving infrastructure efficiency rather than relying solely on new construction, which is estimated to cost approximately $100 billion.

To meet rising global electricity demand, grid capacity must grow by at least 30% by 2035. The IEA emphasizes that while expanding physical networks is necessary, maximizing the use of current assets through digitalization and AI for better forecasting and maintenance is critical.

In the telecommunications sector, GSMA Intelligence forecasts that 6G technology will reach 2.4 billion connections by 2035. The rollout is expected to occur in two phases: an initial period of ecosystem building between 2030 and 2032, followed by rapid global scaling starting in 2033. 5G is expected to remain the dominant technology through the mid-2030s, accounting for roughly 60% of global mobile connections by 2035.