Interview

We spoke with Liu Chao, CEO of the Huawei’s Manufacturing & Key Enterprise Account business unit, about the seismic impact AI is having for the manufacturing industry

At Mobile World Congress 2026, AI finally appeared to be coming of age. From myriads of commercial AI agents to early demonstrations of physical AI, it was clear that AI was finally becoming

For Huawei’s Liu Chao, the era of treating AI as a high-tech accessory is over for the manufacturing sector.

“AI is now more than tools,” said Liu in an interview with Total Telecom. “It can be a unique distinguisher for manufacturers to set themselves apart from their competitors[…] AI is now becoming an important paradigm shift in innovation and in leadership.”

““This shift is being driven not only by the growing maturity of AI, but also by the urgent need for manufacturers to strengthen their competitiveness. Established leaders in traditional manufacturing sectors, such as automotive, are facing increasing pressure as more players actively embrace advance technologies.

Given the precision and high standards required in manufacturing, industrial players place a strong emphasis on proven reliability and predictable outcomes. This means they tend to wait for new technologies have demonstrated clear value and stability. For Liu, this urge to wait is a “trap”.

“Adoption of AI is not optional. It’s a mandatory choice you have to make. The question is not whether to do it or not, but how to do it,” he said.

Bridging the expertise gap

Perhaps the biggest hurdle to adoption, Liu explained, is the lack of cross-discipline expertise. Industrial experts are typically not AI experts, and vice versa,

“I think one of the key priorities for manufacturers adopting AI is deepening their understanding of the technology and its evolving trends,” said Liu. “This also means strengthening capabilities in data and digital infrastructure, while developing more talent with AI and IT expertise – both of which are essential to fully unlock the value of AI.”

For AI adoption to scale across industry, both manufacturers and tech companies need to cultivate multidisciplinary talent that combines both industrial and digital expertise.

“We need AI experts who have the knowledge and background in the manufacturing sector,” he said.

It is only with this shared expertise, Liu argues, that the industry will be able to develop AI models tailored to the manufacturing sector’s specific needs.

“General models like OpenAI answer questions based on public information. But when it comes to the data about a specific company, industry, or process, these models are not good at giving very specific answers,” said Liu. “In manufacturing companies, the data about operation management, production processes, and research and development is proprietary and private. So, they need specialised solutions.”

Practical first steps: Pilot projects and infrastructure foundations

With this in mind, what does early AI adoption look like for manufacturing companies?

For Liu, initial focus should be not on overall transformation, but on addressing specific challenges.

“When a manufacturing company comes to us and says they want to begin using AI, we first discuss their pain points in their business,” Liu said, noting that identifying the right use cases can generate early value.

“We have to find some typical cases where AI can be applied and give a quick win to our customers,” Liu said. These early projects often act as pilot programmes that help organisations build internal experience and refine their data strategies.

“In the first stage we identify scenarios as the first batch of AI adoption pilots,” Liu explained. “Then in the next step we review their more confidential or private data in production or R&D and help them standardise it, ready for use in AI models.”

Automotive taking a lead

One manufacturing industry leading the pack when it comes to AI adoption is the automotive industry.

“Each year in China, 50% of new cars are connected to the internet and are electric vehicles. The changes in the market are very fast. These days, auto manufacturers are launching their new car models almost as frequently as mobile phone makers are launching phones,” he said, adding that “autonomous driving and smart cockpit capabilities are all enabled by AI models.”

The most advanced carmakers are using AI across product development, factory operations, and quality inspection. This is allowing customers to enjoy a far greater level of personalisation as part of a C-to-M (Consumer-to-Manufacturer) framework.

“It is an end-to-end process that allows full customisation by the consumers,” explains Liu. “It’s how auto manufacturers in China are trying to win in such fierce competition.”

“In the assembly line, a fully assembled car is built every minute,” Liu continued. “When the customer chooses a specific configuration – say, for example, a yellow safety belt – you have to make sure that yellow belt arrives at exactly the right point in the assembly process. That needs AI-enabled scheduling with the data flowing from the order side directly to the production.”

Networks come first

Of course, a strong foundation of digital infrastructure is a critical requirement in this journey.

“The precondition is that you have very solid network connections and very good hardware,” Liu said. “Without this, putting AI into action is incredibly difficult.”

For Liu, the pace of change means manufacturers must continue learning and adapting as AI technologies evolve.

“You cannot wait for the latest technology for fear of being left behind because AI is changing so quickly,” he said. “You have to learn throughout the process of adoption.”

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Press Release

TIM and Fastweb + Vodafone have signed a non-binding agreement for the construction and operation of new mobile towers (passive infrastructure) in Italy, with the prospect of creating up to 6,000 new sites. The joint initiative also aims to accelerate the  national rollout  of 5G.

The project will enable TIM and Fastweb + Vodafone to improve operational efficiency and align costs with the European average, while maintaining high infrastructure quality standards and the technological flexibility needed to develop next-generation networks.

The initiative will initially be implemented through a  joint venture  owned equally by TIM and Fastweb + Vodafone, with the aim of evaluating the entry of third-party investors into the company at a later stage to optimize its financial structure. The infrastructure will also be made available to third-party telecommunications operators under an open access model.

Construction activities will begin according to a multi-year development plan. TIM and Fastweb + Vodafone will act as  anchor tenants  of the new infrastructure, signing long-term agreements for the use of the towers at market conditions. The parties will also evaluate the possibility of providing additional services.

The initiative contributes to strengthening the sustainability of the telecommunications sector in Italy and will allow for greater resources to be allocated to the development of next-generation networks. The project is subject to the necessary authorizations from the relevant authorities.

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Press Release

O2 installed Europe’s first pre-assembled mobile site in Sandwich, Kent, introducing an innovative new approach to building mobile infrastructure that significantly speeds up deployment and minimises issues on site, meaning reliable connectivity can be delivered to customers more quickly and efficiently.

Traditionally, engineers installing antennas, radios and cabling would have to connect and configure hundreds of connections on site, often working at height and exposed to the elements. Using technology developed by Vecta Labs, these components are now fully assembled and tested before they ever reach the tower, dramatically simplifying installation while improving quality control.

Each unit is pre-assembled and validated in a controlled testing environment using specialist equipment, including anechoic chambers that allow engineers to precisely measure radio performance. They are then subjected to simulated wind conditions to replicate real-world stresses before they leave the factory, ensuring every mast meets the same exacting standard on arrival.

Passive radio frequency components such as antennas, cables and connectors are also tested for Passive Intermodulation (PIM), a common source of interference that can degrade network performance. By identifying and resolving these issues before deployment, O2 can ensure consistent mobile network performance from the moment a site goes live.

The approach also dramatically simplifies installation, reducing the number of connections engineers must complete on site from around 100 cables to just six, helping save time and minimising the risk of errors. The first European deployment was completed in Sandwich, Kent, where the pre-assembled equipment was installed in four hours, reducing time on site by up to 75 per cent compared with traditional deployments.

For O2 customers, this means new and upgraded sites can be installed faster with less network downtime, helping to improve coverage and boost capacity so they can stream, browse and stay connected on the move. O2 plans to go deploy 100 of these pre-assembled sites across the UK this year as part of its £700m Mobile Transformation Plan.

Steven Verigotta, Director of Mobile Delivery at O2, said: “Moving one of the most complex parts of building a mobile mast into the factory is a real step forward for our network. It allows us to install sites faster, improve quality control and ensure customers benefit from stronger, more reliable connectivity from the moment the site goes live. This is just one of the improvements we’re making as part of our £700m Mobile Transformation Plan which is helping to create the biggest and most reliable network in the UK.”

John Bonello, Director and Founding Member at Vecta Labs, said: “We’re proud to see Europe’s first Vecta Labs deployment delivered with O2. This approach combines pre-assembly, precision RF testing and simplified installation to help operators deploy infrastructure faster while maintaining the highest standards of performance.”

O2 was recently recognised as the most improved mobile network across Europe in Umlaut Connect’s Mobile Network Test, an independent and comprehensive benchmarking report. It was also awarded Best Mobile Network Coverage at the Uswitch Telecoms Awards for the second year in a row, which recognised the scale, reach and reliability of O2’s mobile network.

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Freedom Telecom International (FTI), a subsidiary of Freedom Holding Corp. (NASDAQ: FRHC), has signed a Strategic Cooperation Agreement with Nokia. As a first step, Freedom Telecom International and Freedom Lifestyle Group will inaugurate an Innovation Lab at Nokia’s Sunnyvale, California campus in the coming months.

The initial focus is on designing next-generation AI data center blueprints, conducting feasibility studies in Kazakhstan and neighboring markets, and leveraging Nokia’s global ecosystem to scale cloud and AI-driven services. FRHC, a diversified international financial services group who intends to lead the region’s digital infrastructure buildout, views this cooperation key to realize this ambition and pave the way to further joint projects globally.

The move comes as Kazakhstan intensifies efforts to establish itself as a regional hub for artificial intelligence, digital talent, and sovereign cloud capabilities – domains that are rapidly becoming global benchmarks for economic competitiveness. Central Asia, historically underpenetrated in hyperscale infrastructure, is now drawing growing attention from global technology providers and international investors seeking new growth corridors.

Timur Turlov, Founder & CEO of Freedom Holding Corp., commented: “Kazakhstan is investing heavily in the future of cloud and AI, and global partnerships play an important role in this journey. Over the past year, we began collaborations with companies like NVIDIA and OpenAI to help accelerate high performance computing, digital skills, and modern AI infrastructure. Exploring opportunities with Nokia reinforces this direction and helps us evaluate technologies and expertise that are necessary for technological progress across our global footprint.”

Johannes Hummer, CEO of Freedom Telecom International, added: “This agreement is an important milestone for Nokia and FTI as our mission includes crafting international partnerships’ for Freedom Holding Corp. with Telcos and TechCo’s. The Innovation Lab in Sunnyvale will allow both teams to test ideas and learn together. It marks the beginning of a journey focused on innovation, collaboration, and long-term impact.”

The newly established Innovation Lab will serve as the venue to test and evaluate AI architectures, cloud technologies and advanced networking solutions. Freedom Lifestyle Group will use the Innovation Lab to test AI-powered consumer services across its e-commerce and health tech businesses including chat and voice assistants, agentic AI systems, and next-generation Superapp capabilities – and organize trials to see how Nokia’s infrastructure performs and could scale in a real-world environment.

Alexey Lee, CEO at Freedom Lifestyle Group, commented: “The Innovation Lab provides an important platform to advance our already established digital services into their next generation – leveraging AI to deliver more intelligent, personalized, and seamlessly integrated experiences across the Freedom ecosystem.”

By combining Nokia’s technology with Freedom’s ecosystem play, global market access and capital markets expertise, the companies are assessing how to unlock scalable digital infrastructure opportunities and support the next phase of digital development worldwide.

Mikko Lavanti, Senior Vice President for Middle East and Africa at Nokia, said: “We look forward to working closely with the Freedom teams as they explore different approaches for cloud, AI initiatives, Lifestyle services and beyond. I am impressed by their clarity of purpose and the commitment their team brings to this work. The geographies they consider for future infrastructure expansion are highly promising. We appreciate the strong engagement and hope to reveal opportunities where Nokia truly makes a difference in advanced connectivity and brings undisputed value.”

About the Signing Parties

Nokia is a global leader in connectivity for the AI era. With expertise across fixed, mobile, and transport networks, we’re advancing connectivity to secure a brighter world. To learn more about Nokia, visit nokia.com 

Freedom Telecom International supports global partners in deploying and integrating Freedom Holding Corp’s portfolio of digital financial and lifestyle services. FTI also evaluates and executes investment opportunities in the telecom and fintech sectors, promoting financial and digital inclusion in emerging and frontier markets.

Freedom Holding Corp. is a leading international provider of investment and brokerage services across the markets of Central Asia, Americas, Europe and Middle East with more than 16 years of experience in global financial markets. The Holding’s shares are publicly traded on the NASDAQ stock exchange under the ticker FRHC with current market capitalization at USD 7.3 billion, and total assets amounting to USD 10.3 billion. The total number of clients in its digital ecosystem exceeds 11 million.

Freedom Holding Corp. employs over 11,000 professionals who are based in 231 offices in 22 countries, including Kazakhstan, the United States, the United Arab Emirates, Cyprus, Spain, France, Germany, Greece, Uzbekistan, and Armenia. The company’s principal executive office is located in New York City.

To learn more about Freedom Telecom International, visit: freedomtelecominternational.com To learn more about Freedom Holding Corp., visit: freedomholdingcorp.com
Media Contacts: Freedom Telecom International: contact@freedomtelecominternational.com

Press Release

• Personalized Advertising Agent – An advanced ad-delivery engine powered by Decart real-time AI video models. Decart’s technology is capable of customizing video advertisements down to the household level using attributes such as language, content preferences, household size, or other non-sensitive demographic categories – enabling hyper-relevant experiences for viewers while improving efficiency for advertisers.
• Small Business Concierge Agent – Leveraging Personal AI’s small language model (SLM) and memory platform deployed on HPE ProLiant servers to deliver an AI-powered “front desk” service capable of greeting customers, managing appointments, answering questions, and supporting day-today-day operations for small businesses.
• Reducing Latency for Gaming – Delivering ultra-low latency streaming for online gaming, the AI Grid brings GPU resources physically closer to players. This can dramatically improve responsiveness and overall gameplay quality, building on the impact of the low-latency technology Comcast rolled out for NVIDIA GeForce NOW and other applications last year.

News

Work on the Middle Eastern portion of the 2Africa Pearls subsea cable has been suspended after Alcatel Submarine Networks (ASN) invoked force majeure, saying continuing operations in the Persian Gulf is unsafe amid the widening US–Israel–Iran conflict.

According to Bloomberg , ASN informed customers the cable‑laying vessel is currently stranded in Dammam, Saudi Arabia, and deployment through the Strait of Hormuz has been paused.

The paused segment was intended to link Oman, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, and Iraq by routing through the Persian Gulf, a corridor that has become increasingly exposed as Iranian forces and other actors have targeted shipping in the area.

Industry analysts have told Bloomberg that several other projects planned to transit the Gulf, including the SEA‑ME‑WE 6 consortium effort and Ooredoo’s Fibre In Gulf initiative, have similarly been put on hold.

While much of the 2Africa Pearls infrastructure had already been laid, several landing stations remained unconnected when operations stopped, delaying an expectation that the extension would enter service this year. The broader 2Africa programme , the continent‑spanning system intended to bolster capacity between Africa, Europe and Asia , completed its core loop earlier this year but continues to see staggered rollouts for regional branches.

Beyond the Persian Gulf, the Red Sea corridor has also proved fragile. Work on the 2Africa route through the Red Sea was previously paused in late 2025 amid a mix of permit hurdles and attacks on vessels by Iran‑aligned Houthi forces. The disruption also impacted the Google‑backed Blue‑Raman cable. Those incidents have underscored how geopolitical violence along key chokepoints can ripple through the subsea industry.

Consortium membership and landing partnerships underline the scale and commercial importance of the Pearls extension. Backers include China Mobile International, Meta, Bayobab, Orange, center3, Telecom Egypt, Vodafone, and WIOCC. Regional landing partners announced earlier, such as Bharti Airtel in India and local operators in the UAE and Oman, were positioned to take significant capacity on the system: Bharti Airtel’s role is expected to bring more than 100Tbps of international capacity to India.

Ultimately, the halt continues to illustrate the vulnerability of undersea infrastructure to geopolitical shocks and creates immediate operational and commercial questions for consortium members and customers awaiting connectivity. The interruption may push consortia members to reassess routing strategies, insurance arrangements, and contingency plans for alternative landings to preserve traffic resilience across Europe, the Middle East, Africa and South Asia.

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Press Release

50 government-funded mast upgrades have now been activated in Wales as part of the Shared Rural Network (SRN) – a programme brokered by the UK government and joint-funded with mobile network operators to improve mobile coverage in rural areas. Across the whole of the UK, 119 masts are now live as part of the SRN.

Rural towns and villages throughout Wales are benefiting from faster, more reliable mobile coverage as one of the latest government-funded 4G network upgrades were switched on. It means residents, local businesses and community organisations in areas including Ysbyty Ifan, Pentrefoelas, Capel Celyn, Painscastle, Hay-on-Wye, Llanigon, Tregoyd, Doly-y-Gaer, Clwydyfagwyr, Pontsticill, Torpantau, Llanddewi, Dolau, Llandegley, Crossgates, Abbeycwmhir can now take advantage of better connectivity.

These activations also bring enhanced connectivity to Eryri National Park and Bannau Brycheiniog National Park. These activations also bring coverage from all four mobile network operators to the equivalent of over 3,477 km of roads across Wales.

The boost to coverage has been carried out by upgrading existing mobile masts, meaning communities can benefit from improved connectivity without the need for additional infrastructure.

The improvements will enable residents, tourists and businesses to access reliable 4G coverage from all four mobile network operators – EE, Three, VMO2 and Vodafone – helping close the digital divide between urban and rural communities and boosting economic growth across the nations.

Ben Roome, CEO of Mova said:

“Upgrading 50 EAS masts in Wales shows the strength of a shared, neutral programme. Every site benefits every operator, every community and every mobile user. Together, they represent practical steps toward fairer, more resilient connectivity across rural Wales. Since the launch of the Shared Rural Network, 4G coverage from all mobile network operators has increased from 66% to 81% of the UK, an expansion equivalent to the combined size of Wales and Northern Ireland.

“With more upgrades planned, we remain focused on ensuring rural communities are included in a digitally connected UK.”

Secretary of State for Wales Jo Stevens said:

“Access to fast and reliable mobile coverage is increasingly important for residents, businesses and community organisations in rural communities all over Wales. Hitting this milestone is an important step in our mission to grow the Welsh economy, supporting businesses to succeed and creating opportunities in every corner of Wales.”

Since the Shared Rural Network programme began in 2020, an additional 34,000 square kilometres – an area equivalent to roughly 1.5 times the size of Wales or 4.6 million football pitches – are receiving coverage from all four operators, EE, Three, VMO2 and Vodafone across the UK.

Through the SRN programme, the UK government and the UK’s four mobile network operators have already provided4G coverage to an additional 280,000 premises and 16,000km of the UK’s roads.

The UK government is investing £184 million to upgrade Extended Area Service (EAS) masts to provide coverage from all four mobile operators.

Mobile operators have also invested over £500 million to target ‘partial not spots’ across the UK, where customers can only access 4G if they are signed up with a mobile network operator that is active in the area.

Press Release

Strategic Cooperation Agreement Between Turkcell and Huawei

[Barcelona, Spain, March 2, 2026] – Turkcell (NYSE: TKC) (BIST: TCELL), Türkiye’s leading telecommunications and technology company and global information and communications technology leader Huawei have signed three significant Memorandums of Understanding (MoU) at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2026 held in Barcelona, Spain. Through these agreements, the parties further strengthened their long-term strategic collaboration to shape the future of telecommunications.

The agreements encompass advancing AI capabilities and applications, accelerating the evolution of 5G networks, and driving forward-looking research into next-generation and autonomous network technologies, demonstrating the partners’ shared commitment to innovation leadership and next-generation digital transformation.

Strategic Collaboration on 5G Evolution and Leading Network Innovations

Under the first agreement, the companies aim to develop sustainable and technologically leading networks by leveraging the latest technologies within Turkcell’s infrastructure.

The strategic collaboration places a strong focus on 5G Advanced technologies, aiming to accelerate the testing, validation, and commercialization of innovative solutions. Within this framework, the parties will work together to expand the 5G SA architecture, speed up 5G service launches across consumer (B2C), home (B2H), and enterprise (B2B) segments, and develop innovative solution designs to address increasing connectivity demands and emerging traffic needs. The partnership also covers the development of 5G use cases, including support for initiatives such as 5G New Calling, and FWA applications. In addition, the collaboration encompasses advanced technology implementations such as AI-powered fault detection and predictive maintenance solutions in fiber infrastructure, cross-data center GPU pooling and collaborative AI training infrastructure services, as well as Super WAN wide-area network solutions that deliver secure, high-capacity, and low-latency connectivity for enterprise customers.

Strategic Collaboration on 6G and Autonomous Network Technologies

The second agreement establishes a strategic collaboration framework focused on technical research and innovation in the evolution of AI-native autonomous network architectures. The partnership aims to develop forward-looking strategies toward the goal of fully autonomous networks, while advancing the research, testing, and validation of next-generation network technologies.

Within the scope of this collaboration, Turkcell and Huawei plan to conduct joint studies on AI-native autonomous networks, next-generation technology research and use cases. The partnership also includes joint demonstrations, proof-of-concept activities, and contributions to relevant standardization efforts as key components of the cooperation.

Strategic Collaboration to Unlock AI Power

As the third agreement within the broader strategic partnership, Turkcell and Huawei have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to collaborate on advancing artificial intelligence infrastructure, cloud platforms, and next-generation AI applications. The collaboration aims to strengthen AI capabilities, accelerate the development of innovative use cases, and support the creation of a robust AI ecosystem in Türkiye.

Through this partnership, Turkcell and Huawei will jointly explore the development of advanced AI platforms, support the training of next-generation AI models, and work together on solution co-design, proof-of-concept initiatives, and industry-focused AI applications. By combining Huawei’s global expertise in AI and cloud technologies with Turkcell’s strong digital infrastructure and ecosystem leadership, the collaboration aims to accelerate intelligent transformation across industries.

About TURKCELL: 

Turkcell is a technology and telecommunications company headquartered in Türkiye, offering a unique portfolio of voice, data and IPTV services over its mobile and fixed networks along with digital consumer, enterprise and techfin services. Turkcell Group operates in three countries: Türkiye, Belarus and Northern Cyprus. Listed on both the NYSE and BIST since July 2000, Turkcell remains the only dual-listed company on these exchanges. Read more at www.turkcell.com.tr

Contributed Article

At the Huawei TECH Cares Forum, industry leaders and partners joined to discuss digital inclusion and why embracing AI requires a foundation of digital skills as well as infrastructure.

In recent years, the global mobile ecosystem has made incredible strides in improving digital inclusion, from vastly expanding coverage in hard-to-reach areas to making devices cheaper and more widely available. But despite this significant advancement, there is still much to be done to create a more digital equitable society, especially as AI momentum continues to build.

“We have seen AI progress so much over the last year,” said Huawei’s CEO of ICT Business Group, Yang Chaobin, while noting that “this progress has not benefited everyone”.

The AI era could come late to billions of people

According to figures from ITU, there are 2.2 billion people that still lack access to the mobile internet, with a further 300 million who have access but do not use it, as revealed by a GSMA report. This means that while millions of people are accessing AI tools and services in their daily lives, over a quarter of the planet’s population are still lacking access to basic mobile services.

“We need to start talking about people and stop just talking about algorithms,” said Cosmas Zavazava, Director of the Telecommunication Development Bureau at the International Telecommunication Union (ITU). “The AI era offers life-changing possibility for change, but only if we can deliver it for everyone.”

“The digital divide is the defining challenge of our time,” he added.

Yang echoed this sentiment.

“AI will shape the future. But before we can make that future a reality, we need to build more critical digital infrastructure, including high-speed networks and powerful computing facilities,” he said.

Delivering this connectivity to hard-to-reach areas is a key part of Huawei’s role as a global citizen. The company joined the ITU’s Partner2Connect initiative at its inception in 2022, aiming to connect more than 120 million people in remote areas by the end of 2025. In fact, by the end of last year, Huawei had far exceeded this target, bringing coverage to 170 million people in remote areas across more than 80 countries.

Huawei’s Yang Chaobin reveals Huawei has surpassed its Partner2Connect targets at the TECH Cares summit

Part of this target had been reached by leveraging Huawei’s rural connectivity solutions, including its RuralStar product line’s latest evolution, RuralCow. This solar powered base station operates without fibre or microwave links, providing non-line of sight coverage up to 30km. This means that remote communities that lack the supporting connectivity and power infrastructure can still benefit from robust wireless coverage.

For operators, it also means that the business case for reaching these rural communities is clearer, reducing the time to ROI from 5-10 years to ‘less than 1.5 years’, according to Huawei.

However, as Marina Madale, Executive for Sustainability and Shared Value at MTN, notes, while “the coverage gap is narrowing, the usage gap remains substantial.”

From affordability of devices and data plans, limited digital literacy, and rural energy constraints, there is still much work to be done to improve rural connectivity.

Human-centred and locally-driven AI

Challenges around access and usage are even more pronounced when it comes to AI. AI models built in local languages for remote communities are few, and those that do exist are typically heavily biased due to the limited training data available. For Africa, a continent with thousands of languages, over 75 of which have more than a million speakers, this means a significant portion of the population is cut off from the AI ecosystem and wider economy.

“We need to move from simply integrating technologies like AI, to building more holistic AI readiness,” said Jing Fang, Project Officer at UNESCO’s regional bureau for science and culture in Europe, noting that young people must be taught to “critically engage” with technology to understand risks such as misinformation and algorithmic bias.

Sylvia Poll, Senior Gender and Youth Advisor to the ITU Secretary-General, agreed, warning that data inequality can make entire regions “invisible” in AI systems. Without local datasets and local developers, algorithmic bias may compound existing inequalities in these societies.

“Inclusivity must be a design choice,” said Kenya’s Special Envoy on Technology, Ambassador Philip Thigo. “The greatest divide will be between those who have access and those who have not.”

“This is an existential challenge for developing nations,” he added.

Digital education beyond barriers 

But if the local connectivity infrastructure is limited and localised AI models are not yet mature, are millions of people in developing nations doomed to fall behind in AI adoption?

Not necessarily.

Part of the solution, the panelists said, lies in a more agile approach to digital learning. Huawei’s DigiTruck programme, launched in 2019, has supported the training of more than 130,000 people in 21 countries using converted buses as mobile classrooms. This gives students and adults alike the chance to access AI and digital connectivity – often for the first time – and receive training by specialists and local experts.

This type of training will be key to securing these regions’ economic future.

“Connectivity is not a privilege, it’s an economic necessity,” said Madale. “No single player can close this gap alone. We need an ecosystem of collaboration.”

The consensus at the forum was clear: infrastructure deployment, inclusive AI governance, and scaled investment in skills must advance together if AI is to deliver prosperity for the many, not for the few.

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Press Release

LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM – Terrapinn, the global events company, is delighted to announce the acquisition of FMS: the Future of Memory and Storage from Conference Concepts Inc. FMS is widely regarded as the world’s most important and credible event dedicated to memory and storage technologies.

Held annually in Santa Clara, California, FMS has spent two decades as the essential meeting point for the global memory ecosystem – from leading semiconductor manufacturers to system architects and hyper-scalers. The acquisition comes at a pivotal moment as the industry faces an “unprecedented mismatch” in supply and demand, driven by the rapid expansion of artificial intelligence (AI) and the surge in demand for High-Bandwidth Memory (HBM).

“We are absolutely delighted to announce the acquisition of Future of Memory and Storage,” said Terrapinn CEO Greg Hitchen. “FMS is a significant addition to our global portfolio of technology events. We look forward to serving the memory and storage industry and will ensure that the technical excellence and authority of FMS is maintained, and then surpassed, as we invest in its next phase of global growth”.

FMS was created and nurtured by  Lance Leventhal and Chip Stockton, principals of Conference Concepts Inc, growing it from its roots as the Flash Memory Summit into an all-encompassing industry showcase.

Chip Stockton, President of Conference Concepts Inc, said: “We have created a really important event for the memory and storage community and have carefully nurtured it over many years. But we now feel it is the right time to pass it on to a larger company for its next phase of growth. We are really impressed by Terrapinn’s commitment to the sector and are sure they are the right fit to take FMS forward while ensuring a seamless transition for all our customers and stakeholders”.

The 20th-anniversary edition, FMS 2026, is scheduled for August 4–6, 2026, at the Santa Clara Convention Center. The event will feature a multi-stream conference, a large-scale global exhibition, and a Technical Pro Series focused on the infrastructure enabling the next generation of AI, data centers, and automotive applications.

Conference Concepts Inc was represented by John McGovern of Grimes, McGovern and Associates.

Terrapinn would like to thank Chip Stockton, John McGovern, our advisers and team.

About Terrapinn: Terrapinn is a global events company with businesses in the USA, Australia, Asia, Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. www.terrapinn.com

About Conference Concepts Inc: Founded in 1994, Conference Concepts is a professional conference management company focused on cutting-edge technologies and high-growth technical events.

For further information please contact: rob.chambers@totaltele.com