6G and AI: A technological marriage or an emerging crisis?

As the next decade approaches, 6G technology is being presented as a revolutionary force that could redefine the relationship between telecommunications and artificial intelligence.

However, beyond the technological hype, an important question remains: Is this an inevitable evolution, or merely a repetition of the unfulfilled promises surrounding 5G? The answer lies in understanding the profound implications of this “technological marriage,” which extend beyond ultra-fast speeds to existential challenges related to energy, geopolitics and privacy.

Technological integration

6G is envisioned as the ideal infrastructure for AI applications, promising speeds of up to 1 terabit per second and latency measured in milliseconds. But the relationship goes deeper than data transfer. Concepts such as the AI-native air interface would embed AI algorithms directly into the network, enabling decentralized data processing. This would transform 6G from a mere data carrier into an intelligent partner in decision-making, powering applications such as autonomous vehicles, remote surgery and even battlefield operations.

Yet a critical question remains: Is the global infrastructure ready for this shift? Many regions still lack reliable 4G coverage, raising doubts about the equitable deployment of 6G.

Investments

Reports suggest investments in 6G could reach $7 trillion by 2030, with economic opportunities soaring to $20 trillion. However, these figures, often cited by sources such as McKinsey and the World Economic Forum, should be approached cautiously. History reminds us that many of the projections surrounding 5G fell short, particularly in sectors such as the Internet of Things.

Moreover, a significant portion of funding for 6G infrastructure and AI companies comes from the private credit market, which manages $2.2 trillion in assets. This market is already under strain, as warned by Morgan Stanley and Goldman Sachs, meaning the financial fuel behind the 6G vision could face liquidity and transparency challenges.

The hidden cost of speed

One of the most critical yet overlooked challenges is energy consumption. 6G networks, relying on high-frequency bands such as terahertz waves, will demand unprecedented levels of power. According to the International Energy Agency's Energy and AI report, released in April 2025, global data center electricity consumption is expected to double to 945 terawatt-hours by 2030, up from 415 terawatt-hours in 2024. AI is the primary driver of this increase, with the US and China accounting for 80 percent of the growth.

In a world striving for carbon neutrality, this environmental cost could hinder 6G deployment, particularly in the absence of sustainable energy solutions. 

Geopolitics

If the 5G race divided the world between China and the West, the competition over 6G could evolve into a technological Cold War. China, heavily invested in 6G research, aims to establish its own standards, while the US and the European Union are building counter-alliances. This competition is not only about economic dominance but also about controlling the AI-driven “brain” of the network.

The prospect of two parallel internets — one Chinese with centralized AI and another Western with decentralized intelligence — is no longer implausible. This becomes especially significant with the rise of semantic communications, in which networks interpret contextual data and enable unprecedented levels of surveillance and control.

Beyond the rosy reports

While the current technological surge offers extraordinary promise, it is also creating a landscape of systemic vulnerabilities. Several challenges could redefine global stability in the coming decade.

Reducing latency by each millisecond will require enormous amounts of energy. The question is whether the world is prepared to bear this cost. Integrated AI means real-time, comprehensive surveillance. Even anonymized data can potentially be reverse-engineered to identify individuals.

With 30 percent of private credit loans tied to software companies, many of them operating in AI, any major sector-wide stress could trigger defaults and disrupt innovation financing.

As major powers compete for dominance, developing nations risk being left behind, deepening global inequality.

6G and AI are often presented as an inevitable success story. But without addressing these challenges, they could evolve into a global crisis. International cooperation is essential, yet in an increasingly fragmented geopolitical environment, such collaboration may prove fragile.

The alternative could be a fragmented internet comprising parallel American, Chinese, European and regional networks that coexist while competing, much like the emerging multipolar financial system.

Ultimately, 6G reflects the contradictions of our era: ambition versus sustainability, innovation versus control, and promise versus peril. Without critical scrutiny, we risk repeating past mistakes, this time at terabit-per-second speeds.

The question remains: Will we be wise enough to manage our own artificial intelligence? 

Saudi Arabia’s strategic vision

In the global race for 6G and AI leadership, Saudi Arabia is pursuing a distinct strategic path defined by what it describes as the "quality of foundation" rather than the “speed of launch.” As articulated by Yasir Al-Rumayyan, governor of the Public Investment Fund, at the Future Investment Initiative Priority Summit in Miami, the Kingdom’s philosophy views AI not as a final product but as a sophisticated enabling tool designed to create tangible value across healthcare, energy and smart cities.

This vision has been reinforced by the Council of Ministers’ decision to designate 2026 as the “Year of Artificial Intelligence” under the leadership of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. The initiative emphasizes building robust AI infrastructure, ethical frameworks and human capital development following Saudi Arabia's rise to 14th place in the 2025 Global AI Index.

Anchored by a unique power matrix — combining the sovereign liquidity of the Public Investment Fund with competitive energy costs and stable supply chains for advanced processing units — Saudi Arabia is committing SR15 billion to a three-phase rollout. Beginning with pilot programs between 2026 and 2028, this phased strategy aligns national ambition with systemic risk management, offering a practical pathway to avoid the energy, financing and surveillance crises that could accompany the global 6G race.

• Dr. Abdel-Hameed Nawar is an associate professor of economics at Cairo University’s Faculty of Economics and Political Science.