"Artificial intelligence (AI) smart glasses have the potential to change the world. AI smart glasses will replace smartphones within three to five years."
Erik Ekudden, Ericsson executive vice president and chief technology officer (CTO), met with ChosunBiz at the Mobile World Congress 2026, the world's largest mobile exhibition, held in Barcelona, Spain, on the 4th (local time), and said, "Today, millions of people use AI smart glasses, and more than 1 billion people use Generative AI every day," adding, "If we can move this potential to a new form factor (device), it will be a big opportunity." He added, "In five years, many people will be using AI smart glasses."
As CTO, Ekudden is responsible for setting the direction of Ericsson's technology leadership. He received a master's degree in electrical engineering from the Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm, Sweden, and joined Ericsson in 1993, where he worked on the development of 3G (third-generation mobile communication), 4G (fourth-generation mobile communication), and 5G (fifth-generation mobile communication) mobile networks. Ekudden is also a member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Engineering Sciences (IVA).
At MWC 2026, the exhibit that impressed him most was also AI smart glasses. Ekudden said AI wearables will be hard to popularize unless they are connected to 5G networks and offload AI inference to the network. He said, "If AI wearables do not use 5G networks, their designs will become bulky or their battery life will be short, hurting the user experience." The following is a Q&A with him.
◇ "AI smart glasses will replace smartphones"
― Smartphones have been at the center of the network for a long time. What device will be at the center of connectivity going forward?
"Wearables will be a very important part of the new device ecosystem. In particular, I believe AI smart glasses will replace many people's smartphones. About 25% to 30% of the world's population needs glasses or corrective lenses. AI glasses can bring big changes without hindering daily life. People who use a smartwatch while running, and those who work on a rooftop with both hands free on network tasks—people who do not use smartphones much in daily life—will be the first to be freed from smartphones. In the future, color displays will be possible as well. But color displays are not yet commercialized. It will probably take another one to two generations for AI glasses with good design and functionality to emerge. The realization of these functions is fully possible within two to three years."
― What are your thoughts on non-terrestrial networks (NTN) in space?
"Satellite technology will not fully replace terrestrial networks due to constraints in technological maturity, performance, user experience, and reliability, but it can complement terrestrial networks very well. It will be a powerful technology in areas where today's communication networks are not built, such as at sea or in rural areas. However, satellites cannot fully support the high-performance networks provided by 5G. Imagine wearing AI smart glasses and losing connection in an elevator, or latency occurring while you are interacting and asking questions. We should see terrestrial and non-terrestrial network technologies as complementary."
◇ "AI must be combined with mobile"
― As a CTO who has watched communications technology for more than 30 years, what recent changes do you see?
"I was fortunate to witness the mobile industry being built from the beginning. The shift from fixed line to mobile was a tremendous change. Today, 8 billion people use mobile technology, and it took 20 to 25 years to get here. The AI-based 5G network change we are experiencing now is not just about a generational shift in technology. We are experiencing a wave of transition from the first mobile wave to the second mobile and AI. We are now in the era of an 'intelligent fabric,' where everything in the network is optimized for AI. What the industry now properly recognizes is that if AI is not combined with mobile, AI's potential cannot be fully harnessed. Whether GPU and CPU suppliers, system suppliers like Ericsson, or telecom operators, everyone has realized this is a huge opportunity. And it can be applied not only to consumers but also to corporations, governments, and defense. Forward-looking CEOs have a responsibility to realize this opportunity."
― So does it all come down to money?
"In some cases, yes, money is needed. But in many cases, the mindset of recognizing that an opportunity is right in front of you is important. The Korean government's strong push for 5G SA is also a forward-looking decision. That's because providing 5G across all frequency bands is essential."
◇ "Ericsson is realizing AI-based 5G networks… investing $5 billion every year"
― What is Ericsson's core competitive edge?
"Ericsson uses AI across all domains, not only in our own hardware but also in partners' hardware. To become the best in building AI-based 5G networks, Ericsson invests $5 billion every year (about 7.487 trillion won). Ericsson has already made AI networks based on 5G a reality. That means there is no need to wait for 6G (sixth-generation mobile communication) to build AI-based networks. New features to be loaded onto 5G will be upgraded in even more advanced forms. In this context, it is also significant that Korea, led by the government, is moving in earnest toward standalone fifth-generation mobile communication (5G SA). Based on 5G SA, moving to 6G will allow the use of far more features."
― There is also talk of an AI bubble.
"I think the opportunities AI offers are much bigger than people think. The strengths of AI are especially clear in networks. AI networks based on 5G are far superior to ordinary networks. I am currently using AI smart glasses that support navigation and language translation. Such AI technologies will change consumers' lives far more than expected. I also think physical AI using Humanoid Robot is a very promising field in Korea. But AI alone cannot fully realize its potential. Better 5G networks are needed for AI's potential to be maximized. Networks that provide performance optimized for AI are important. AI networks deliver the best experiences through better uplink (the link that uploads data), energy efficiency, wearables, and Humanoid Robot."
― Will there be changes in AI investment as well?
"Investment in AI will also move away from data centers and increasingly focus on more mature AI inference or token generation (the unit by which AI processes questions and answers). I believe token generation will expand to 5G networks, core networks, and radio networks, and some will move to devices, sensors, and glasses. A significant portion of AI inference computation will run on telecom operators' networks. It is highly likely that telecom operators will serve as hosts for token generation. This is a tremendous opportunity for telecom operators."