(Credit: Eric Zeman)
BARCELONA—Mobile World Congress attracted more than 109,000 attendees from 205 countries, 2,900 exhibitors, and 1,900 speakers this year. Hardware vendors showcased all sorts of exciting products and concepts, almost all of which had one thing in common: AI.
No longer an emerging technology, MWC 2025 made it crystal clear that AI is present in all aspects of the industry, including chips, networks, and software. With that in mind, these are the ways we expect AI to shape the mobile landscape in the year ahead.
1. More Phone Makers Are Going All In on AI
Honor and Oppo announced large AI initiatives at MWC and set the stage for big changes ahead.
Honor talked about its Alpha Plan, which will see the company invest $10 billion over the next five years to develop an "intelligent phone" to change how we interact with our devices. This includes adding agentic AI to its phones and bringing AI its to computers, tablets, and wearables.
Oppo's strategy will focus on AI-based productivity, creativity, and imaging to help people work and create more efficiently. To do this, Oppo will invest an undisclosed sum in research and development and work more closely with Google and MediaTek to ensure its software and hardware are prepared to provide these experiences. It promised to bring generative AI features to 100 million users by the end of the year.
2. AI Is Trickling Down to Midrange Phones
AI features have largely been reserved for pricey flagship phones, like the Google Pixel 9 and the Samsung Galaxy S25 series, which cost between $800 and $1,600. That's set to change.
At MWC, several companies announced more affordable AI-enhanced phones. For example, Samsung showed off the Galaxy A56, a $499 handset that will get access to some of the company's best Galaxy AI features. And Realme is prepared to bring Google's Gemini to midrange devices like the $430 Realme 14 Pro.
3. AI Is Coming to Far More Products Than Phones
It's hard to believe there's enough computing power in a product as lightweight as smart glasses to include AI, but we saw several examples at MWC.
TCL's RayNeo X3 Pro glasses have an AI translation feature that might be a lifesaver on your next trip abroad. The glasses hear the spoken word, show you the text of the phrase in its native form, and then translate it visually into the language you prefer. It was a little slow in person, but we see the potential.
Recommended by Our Editors
The BleeqUp Ranger smart glasses for cycling take an entirely different approach. The Ranger glasses are meant to help cyclists capture photos and videos of their two-wheeled adventures. BleeqUp has tapped AI to help with tagging specific moments when recording video. Using motion detectors, the glasses can do things like sense when you swerve suddenly to avoid an object or accelerate or decelerate rapidly. The glasses tag the video at these moments so you can find them quickly when reviewing the footage.
4. Telcos Are Adopting AI to Repair Networks and Lower Costs
Both T-Mobile and Verizon told me their companies have been responsibly adopting AI for more than a decade. The network operators are deploying AI deep within their infrastructure to help with various tasks.
T-Mobile's parent company, Deutsche Telekom, is prepared to release an AI phone later this year. The phone won't have traditional apps on board. Instead, everything you do will be through the AI-powered MyMagenta app. The virtual assistant, which can be accessed directly from the lock screen, will be able to make calls, play your favorite tunes, summarize or translate text, and even write emails. Moreover, Deutsche Telekom has partnered with Google Cloud to develop what it calls the RAN Guardian. This AI agent watches DT's core RAN for problems and then self-deploys to resolve any issues. Yes, DT is using AI to repair its network in real time. This is almost a Skynet-like idea.
For its part, Verizon worked with Qualcomm and Samsung to save the energy used by its RAN. The company deployed an AI-powered RAN Intelligent Controller that monitors the power needed by its network in real time. It analyzes the number of connections at individual cell sites to determine the amount of power needed to meet customer demand. When fewer customers are accessing a site, it can ramp the power down to lower its usage. In the first month, Verizon saved $2 million.
5. AI Is Being Deployed at the Chip Level
Even the smallest components of mobile phones are getting AI. MediaTek and Qualcomm announced new high-level modems at MWC that embed AI in order to make split-second decisions on how to connect.
MediaTek's M90 5G modem includes MediaTek Modem AI, which it says can evaluate network conditions, learn user patterns, use power more efficiently, reduce latency, and stabilize connectivity. The end result is a stronger network connection while realizing up to 18% gains in efficiency. In plain speak, your phone will have faster internet and use less battery doing it.
Qualcomm's Snapdragon X85 modem is doing pretty much the same thing. The X85 can look at how every individual app on the phone is using data and as an "efficiency-minded air data-traffic controller" to provide bandwidth where it is most needed at any given instant.
Of course, it's not just modems. Nearly every part of a modern system-on-a-chip, such as the CPU, GPU, ISP, NPU, and other components, includes AI.
More From MWC
Can't get enough MWC coverage? From laptops to smart glasses, check out all the devices and concepts that wowed us at the show.