Apr 2, 2025

By Alex Kimani - Apr 01, 2025, 6:00 PM CDT 6G networks will be AI-native and deliver 100x faster speeds than 5G. 6G will supercharge Industry 4.0, supporting smart factories, collaborative robotics, and real-time data exchange to optimize industrial operations. The energy sector is poised to benefit, using 6G-enabled AI tools and private networks for faster exploration, predictive maintenance, and improved efficiency. The global rollout of 5G wireless networks over the past five or so years has been a bit of a mixed bag of success. On one hand, 5G has achieved significant advancements, notably in faster speeds, lower latency, and increased network capacity, enabling new applications like enhanced streaming, gaming, and remote medical services, as well as supporting industries like smart cities and autonomous vehicles. While 4G usually tops out at ~100 megabits per second (Mbps), 5G pushes that to a sizzling 10 gigabits per second (Gbps), with latencies of 1 millisecond compared to 30-70 milliseconds for 4G (latency is the delay before data transfer begins following an instruction). However, the slow adoption of 5G for industrial automation, coupled with limited additional revenue opportunities, has pushed scientists and researchers to develop the next generation of wireless communication standards. If 5G was an upgrade, 6G promises to be a revolutionary one, unleashing unprecedented possibilities by accelerating the major selling points of 5G: ultra-reliable and low-latency communications (URLLC), enhanced mobile broadband (eMBB) and massive machine-type communications (mMTC). According to Peter Vetter, President at Nokia Bell Labs Core Research, 6G, “...will enable digital–physical fusion at a much larger scale and at a higher level of sophistication than possible with 5G”. The researchers say that 6G networks won’t just be AI-assisted like 5G; rather, they will be AI-native, meaning they will incorporate AI into their design, deployment and end-to-end operations, allowing us to reap the benefits of this technology to its fullest. 6G networks will have ‘far superior’ performance and capabilities, including speeds of up to 1 terabit per second (Tbps)--a hundred times faster than maximum 5G speeds thanks to an expanded spectrum, with 50% less energy consumption, lower latency, and higher device density. Indeed, the sub-millisecond latency of 6G networks will open up possibilities for real-time applications that are impractical with 5G, including precision medical procedures and real-time holographic communication. 6G is also likely to fuel the growth of extended reality (XR) , including virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), and mixed reality (MR). 6G is expected to play a critical role in advancing autonomous vehicles and drones. These systems rely heavily on real-time data exchange for navigation, safety protocols and obstacle avoidance. By leveraging ultra-low latency and high bandwidth of 6G networks, autonomous vehicles will be able to make split-second decisions based on data from cameras, sensors, and other connected devices. By using real-time data processing, drones will be used in applications such as delivery services, disaster response, and surveillance. Meanwhile, 6G will accelerate the rise of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, or Industry 4.0. Factories, production lines and warehouses will be equipped with connected devices and sensors communicating in real-time to optimize operations. 6G will support the integration of smart robots that are capable of working collaboratively with humans and other machines in the manufacturing process. Finally, 6G networks will accelerate the use of AI in exploration and predictive maintenance in the oil and gas sector. Energy companies are increasingly deploying AI tools to digitize records, analyze vast troves of data and geological maps, and potentially identify problems such as excessive equipment use or pipeline corrosion. One such company is Dutch energy giant Shell Plc (NYSE:SHEL). In 2023, Shell announced plans to use AI-based technology from big-data analytics firm SparkCognition in its deep sea exploration and production in a bid to improve operational efficiency and speed as well as boost production. According to Bruce Porter, chief science officer for Texas-based SparkCognition, Generative AI for seismic imaging has broad and far-reaching implications, adding that the technology can dramatically cut exploration timelines from nine months to less than nine days. Back in 2018, the company partnered with Microsoft to incorporate the Azure C3 Internet of Things platform in its offshore operations. The platform uses AI to drive efficiencies across the company’s offshore infrastructure, from drilling and extraction to employee empowerment and safety. The new wireless standard will also help energy companies to build more efficient private networks. Private networks are purpose-built, high-performing wireless LANs that are more reliable, secure, and cost-effective compared to public cellular or Wi-Fi. Private networks are playing a critical role in the digital transformation of oil and gas industries by providing reliable, secure, and agile connectivity capable of supporting the adoption, use and scaling of new technologies . By using private networks, oil and gas companies are able to connect remote locations and convert and unify legacy systems without replacing their hardware. By Alex Kimani for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com