Leading Companies in the Age of 5G and AI Transformation

At this year's MWC Barcelona , I had a chance to participate in a thought-provoking panel hosted by The Female Quotient / 普华永道 featuring executives from technology, media, and telecom sectors. The conversation explored how AI and 5G are reshaping industries and what this means for businesses and individuals alike.

The panelists included:

1. Amber Coleman-Mortley , Sr. Director, Community and Culture, The Female Quotient
2. Carol Criner , Senior Vice President, Strategic Accounts, HCLTech
3. Jessica Sibley , Chief Executive Officer, TIME
4. Andrea Austin , Leader, Telco Strategic Accounts, Google Cloud
5. Aparna Khurjekar , Chief Revenue Officer, Business Markets & SaaS, Verizon Business

The Accelerating Pace of Digital Transformation

One of the most notable observations came from Verizon's representative who highlighted how the adoption curve for AI has become dramatically steeper in just one year: "Last year we were merely touching the topic of AI, and this year people are totally immersed in AI." This vertical S-curve of adoption signals that we've reached a tipping point in digital transformation.

Andrea Austin from Google Cloud emphasized their responsible approach to AI implementation across their 15 first-party applications that serve over half a billion users. She noted that Google has been "intentional about doing that in a responsible way, training and learning off of the right sets of data, reducing bias and other elements."

How Leading Companies Are Leveraging AI

Each panelist shared insights into how their organization is embracing and implementing these transformative technologies:

• Google Cloud is infusing AI across applications like Gmail, YouTube , and Enterprise search, focusing on driving meaningful business outcomes that either help companies grow revenue or save money.
• Verizon positions itself at the center of the 5G revolution, making connectivity "affordable, available, and accessible to everyone." They're consuming AI and enabling AI workloads at the edge for businesses and consumers.
• Snowflake has built its business on the principle that "If you make something simple, easy to use, and economical, it becomes ubiquitous." They're now powering more than 11,000 enterprises running over 6 billion queries daily.
• TIME Magazine has transformed from a million-reader print publication to a digital platform reaching 120 million people worldwide through channels like TikTok , WhatsApp , and time.com. Jessica Sibley , shared their three-pronged approach to AI: comprehensive coverage of AI developments, responsible use of AI in journalism, and strategic partnerships with AI companies to monetize and expand their reach.
• HCLTech highlighted their expanded partnership with 微软 , incorporating 550 conversational AI experts from Professional Services to enhance their customer service capabilities.

Bridging the Digital Divide

The panel also addressed critical issues of digital inclusion:

TIME Magazine took down its paywall to democratize access to quality information. Jessica Sibley explained: "No matter where you are, you should be able to get access to information for free, regardless if you can afford it or not."

Verizon has provided 5G access and labs to over 8.5 million children through their Innovative Learning program and offers AI courses through their Skill Forward program via EdX .

谷歌 contributes to digital inclusion through YouTube , Youtube Shorts, and Google Classroom, providing self-education resources and tools for formal education environments.

Redefining Success in the AI Era

Traditional metrics like efficiency and profit remain important, but Carol Criner from HCLTech pointed out that organizations should also measure "How you've enriched your customer relationship" and "speed to market" as key success indicators.

I stressed the importance of diverse perspectives in innovation, using the analogy of rebrickable.com (a marketplace that shows how to repurpose Lego sets): "If all you have seen all your life is that dinosaur set, you'll always make it into a dinosaur. When a fresh perspective comes in, they will be able to make it into an ambulance, a fire station...". I strongly believe that if two people always agree then one of them is unnecessary. Having diverse viewpoints is not just nice-to-have but an absolute necessity in this fast-moving world.

The Future of Work

The panel offered valuable insights on skills needed for the AI-driven workplace:

• Complementary Intelligence: Companies need to bring machines and people together effectively, teaching employees "how to problem solve, how to think and reason" to articulate problems for AI to solve.
• Adaptability Over Specific Skills: The half-life of knowledge is decreasing rapidly, making adaptability more crucial than specialized expertise.
• Distributed Workforce Management: Creating environments that allow both remote and in-office workers to contribute effectively is essential.
• Flexible Role Definition: Understanding when humans should be creative versus when AI might take the lead requires flexibility in defining roles and responsibilities.

Theer was a particular sobering thought discussed in the panel that AI is increasing the gender Gap, a 高盛 report showing women face a significantly higher risk of job displacement from AI (79% compared to 58% for men), largely because AI is poised to automate administrative roles predominantly held by women.

The solution? Developing "intersectionality of skills" rather than mastering just one area. The more you add to your skill set, the harder it is for AI to replace you.

Conclusion

The conversation revealed we're at an inflection point where AI and 5G are no longer future technologies but present-day business drivers. Success in this landscape will depend not on any single technology implementation but on how organizations:

1. Adapt their metrics to value customer relationships and innovation speed
2. Address the widening digital divide to ensure broader participation
3. Foster diversity in thinking to drive more creative problem-solving
4. Prepare their workforce for continuous adaptation

These insights transcend specific companies or industries, highlighting the universal challenges and opportunities at this pivotal moment in technological transformation. AI is a technology like nothing before, it offers a federation of opportunity, but to get the full benefit we must be intentional in our approach.

As individuals and organizations navigate this rapidly evolving landscape, success will increasingly depend on adaptability, diverse perspectives, and the ability to reimagine what we do. Please remember:

The more you add to your skill set, the harder it is for AI to replace you.

A reminder that in the age of artificial intelligence, our humanity and versatility may be our greatest assets.

I write weekly on different topics related to Data and AI. Feel free to subscribe to FAQ on Data newsletter and/or follow Fawad Qureshi on LinkedIn or FawadQureshi on X.