A.I and 5G Banding Together For a Nearer Future

Artificial Intelligence and 5G are banding together to provide the best high-speed performance, many of you have probably already heard of 5G and it was one of the biggest tech topics everyone talked about before the pandemic hit, and through the beginning, there was a lot of misconceptions being picked up by individuals not familiar with the tech world, so before I dive into the how and why I have to clear the air of any false narratives.

First of all, 5G is the fifth-generation mobile network, an upgrade from previous generations including 4G and 3G which are probably the generation used if you were to turn on your mobile data, you may think your 4G network works fine but 5G takes 10 steps forward in terms of capability creating a network that is designed to connect everything. Faster connectivity speeds (10 times of 4G), ultra-low latency, and greater bandwidth these features will provide new opportunities with latency faster than human visual processing, allowing for the control of devices remotely in near-real-time industries like agriculture and manufacturing will massively benefit from it.

Comparative feature between previous generations and 5G   Credit: Raconteur

Comparative feature between previous generations and 5G Credit: Raconteur

Monitoring field conditions and be notifying farmers, tracking livestock, piloting agricultural drones, and directing self-driving tractors in near real-time are some of the uses of 5G in the agricultural business. Improved crop yields, better quality produce, and higher profits are some of the outcomes of 5G in the agricultural industry. For manufacturing 5G allows for advanced predictive maintenance due to the ability to connect many more devices and capture more data with the avoidance of data loss this surplus in data allows for the accurate prediction of machine failure and similarly to agriculture, 5G allows for precision monitoring and control, creating an efficient and stable industry.

However, the biggest downside of 5G is the fact that its waves are intercepted very easily due to its millimeter waves as the wavelength is shorter it can carry more data but goes a shorter range meaning for reliable signals there are going to have to be 5G cells everywhere.

Now that everyone knows what 5G is and its capability I think we will be able to appreciate what the use of artificial intelligence with 5G means. A U.S based wireless company called Verizon is recruiting artificial intelligence models to help with the placement of 5G wireless transmitters, as mentioned above 5G has a shorter range in comparison to 4G so when 5G becomes widely used for it to be used practically 5G transmitter have to be everywhere for optimal performance. With the use of artificial intelligence, Verizon can better optimize the installation of these transmitters, the artificial intelligence system recruits computer vision technology (the training of computers to interpret and understand the visual world) in relation to small cell 5G transmitters installed on buildings and utility poles to identify the optimal location for them by considering multiple factors such as other antennas nearby and whether the transmitter will interfere with their signal.

AI can analyze spatial and geographic elements like bridges, trees, and building heights around specific intersections in various ZIP codes”,
“Without AI, we would not be able to do this. Period.
— Shankar Arumugavelu, Senior Vice President and Global CIO of Verizon

Hopefully, with its coming success, many other telecommunication and wireless companies will follow suit, speeding up the installation of 5G around the world.

Thumbnail Credit: Telenor Group