Marwan Bin Shakar, Chief Technology and Information Officer (Ag), e& UAE, is the opening keynote speaker at FutureNet MENA 2025; in the build-up to the event, we hear Marwan’s insight into e& UAE’s vision for 6G.

Q: Marwan, could you elaborate on e& UAE’s vision for 6G and its distinction from 5G?

Marwan Bin Shakar

At e& UAE, we recognize 6G as a transformative leap beyond 5G, not merely an enhancement. While 5G-Advanced has significantly improved latency, throughput, and XR support, 6G is poised to revolutionize connectivity through AI-native networking, Integrated Sensing and Communication (ISAC), and seamless integration of terrestrial and non-terrestrial networks. This evolution will facilitate ultra-immersive experiences, autonomous systems, and expansive IoT applications, positioning the UAE at the forefront of global innovation by 2030.

With 6G, we’re not just improving network performance; we’re laying the groundwork for a cognitive, secure, and sovereign digital nation. This vision positions the network as the foundational nervous system that supports everything from autonomous mobility to quantum-secure services.

Q: What are the foundational technologies driving this 6G transformation?

Marwan Bin Shakar

The transformation to 6G is being driven by a convergence of foundational technologies that reimagine the network as a cognitive, adaptive, and omnipresent infrastructure. At the core is the concept of AI-native networks, where intelligence is embedded directly into the architecture rather than added on. This enables predictive resource allocation, real-time anomaly detection, and self-optimization, resulting in networks that are not only more resilient but also capable of self-healing and adapting autonomously to changing demands.

Another critical enabler is Integrated Sensing and Communication (ISAC), which allows the network to perceive its environment while simultaneously transmitting data. This fusion of sensing and connectivity will be essential for applications requiring high-precision environmental awareness, such as autonomous transportation, smart infrastructure, and immersive extended reality.

To ensure ubiquitous coverage, particularly across remote and underserved areas, Non-Terrestrial Networks (NTNs) will become a native part of the 6G fabric. By seamlessly integrating satellite and aerial platforms with terrestrial infrastructure, NTNs will extend connectivity across remote areas; an especially strategic priority for the UAE. Through Project SKY, in collaboration with Space42, we’re enabling seamless terrestrial-satellite convergence to ensure connectivity even in deserts, oceans, and remote regions.

Security is also being redefined at the architectural level through quantum-secure networking. As quantum computing advances, 6G will incorporate quantum-resistant encryption and secure-by-design protocols to protect critical services and data integrity in the face of emerging cyber threats.

Finally, the future adoption of sub-terahertz (Sub-THz) spectrum—frequencies exceeding 100 GHz—will unlock unprecedented bandwidth and ultra-high-speed data transfer capabilities. This will support bandwidth-intensive applications like holographic communication, real-time digital twins, and massive-scale industrial automation.

Together, these technologies form the backbone of a 6G ecosystem that is not only faster and more secure, but fundamentally more intelligent and aware, paving the way for a digitally sovereign, inclusive, and sustainable future.

Q: How will AI-native networks redefine the architecture and operations of 6G?

Marwan Bin Shakar

AI-native networks mark a fundamental departure from legacy architectures by embedding intelligence directly into the fabric of the network, rather than layering it on top. In the 6G era, AI is not a supporting function—it is the operational core. By integrating machine learning across all layers, from data management to orchestration, AI-native networks can deliver fully autonomous services, ensuring ultra-reliable performance for smart cities, autonomous mobility, and real-time industrial systems.

This deep integration enables networks to anticipate demand through predictive resource allocation, dynamically optimizing performance in real time. It allows for self-optimising systems that adapt to fluctuating conditions without human intervention, ensuring consistent quality of service across even the most demanding environments.

AI also plays a critical role in strengthening security, with real-time threat detection and mitigation capabilities that proactively defend against evolving cyber risks. Altogether, this AI-centric architecture paves the way for networks that are more resilient, autonomous, and capable of supporting the complexity and scale of next-generation digital ecosystems.

Q: How does Generative AI (GenAI) integrate with 6G networks, and what transformative use cases do you foresee?

Marwan Bin Shakar

Generative AI is set to play a foundational role in 6G, not just enhancing network operations but reshaping how networks think, adapt, and interact. Unlike traditional AI, which is often limited to analysis and prediction, GenAI introduces the ability to create — whether it’s simulations, configurations, or even new user experiences. In 6G networks, this creative capacity enables more responsive and accurate digital twins, allowing operators to model complex network environments and optimize performance with unprecedented precision. GenAI also supports adaptive network management, dynamically generating network topologies and resource strategies that respond in real time to shifting demand.

On the security front, GenAI strengthens the network’s defense posture by simulating potential attack scenarios and proactively generating countermeasures. This is a major step forward in building cyber-resilient infrastructure. Perhaps most transformative is GenAI’s potential to personalize services at scale. From immersive entertainment to tailored healthcare and education experiences, GenAI can adapt content and interfaces to individual users in real time. Even spectrum management benefits: GenAI can anticipate usage patterns and suggest efficient allocation strategies, helping operators make the most of scarce bandwidth resources.

In short, GenAI is part of our broader move toward an intelligent, adaptive infrastructure; one that doesn’t just respond but anticipates and evolves.

Q: What challenges and considerations accompany the integration of GenAI into 6G networks?

Marwan Bin Shakar

Integrating GenAI into 6G networks presents several challenges that need careful consideration. In terms of  computational demands, GenAI models are resource-intensive, requiring substantial computational power and energy. Deploying these models across the network, especially at the edge, necessitates advancements in hardware and energy-efficient algorithms.

The use of GenAI involves processing vast amounts of data, raising concerns about data privacy and security. Implementing robust data governance frameworks and ensuring compliance with privacy regulations are essential to address these concerns.

Ensuring the reliability and fairness of GenAI models is critical. These models must be trained on diverse and representative datasets to prevent biases and inaccuracies that could affect network performance and user experiences. Seamlessly integrating GenAI into existing network infrastructures requires overcoming technical complexities, including interoperability with legacy systems and standardization across different network components.

Q: What transformative use cases do you anticipate with 6G that surpass 5G capabilities?

Marwan Bin Shakar

6G will unlock a plethora of groundbreaking applications, enabling hyper-realistic telepresence experiences and location-based immersive tourism through high-fidelity, low-latency XR.

We’re looking at a step-change in possibilities — not just faster speeds, but entirely new experiences and systems that weren’t feasible before. One of the most compelling areas is immersive extended reality. Imagine participating in lifelike holographic meetings or experiencing the Metaverse with near-zero latency — these won’t just be novelties, but practical tools for collaboration, entertainment, and education.

In smart cities, 6G will enable a new level of real-time communication between millions of connected devices, from traffic systems to energy grids, making urban environments more efficient, sustainable, and responsive. That same ultra-reliable connectivity will power the future of mobility, where autonomous vehicles can communicate seamlessly with each other and the world around them, unlocking safer and more efficient transportation systems.

In manufacturing and industry, 6G supports real-time digital twins of entire factories, allowing systems to self-monitor, self-adjust, and even self-repair without human intervention. These capabilities extend into energy, healthcare, and beyond through AI and GenAI-powered applications — from predictive maintenance in critical infrastructure to autonomous edge processing that adapts instantly to changes in the environment.

These are transformative shifts that will unlock a world where the physical and digital merge in real time, reshaping how we live, work, and move.

Q: Can you outline e& UAE’s roadmap for 6G deployment?

Marwan Bin Shakar

Our 6G journey is grounded in long-term strategic planning and close alignment with global standardization efforts. We’ve already begun investing in R&D and building strong collaborations with international forums and leading academic institutions, including TDRA, NYU Abu Dhabi, and Khalifa University, to help shape the global 6G agenda.

Between 2026 and 2027, we’ll move into early prototyping and standardization, focusing on breakthrough technologies such as new waveforms, integrated sensing and communication (ISAC), and AI-native network controls. This will pave the way for technical trials and pre-commercial testing in 2028 and 2029, where we’ll demonstrate 6G’s real-world potential across domains like smart cities and autonomous mobility.

By 2030, we aim to initiate early commercial deployment, starting with strategic zones such as industrial hubs and next-generation urban environments. From 2031 onward, our goal is nationwide 6G coverage — including remote and underserved areas — leveraging non-terrestrial networks to ensure ubiquitous, seamless connectivity across the UAE.

Q: How will 6G contribute to sustainability and energy efficiency in the UAE?

Marwan Bin Shakar

Sustainability is central to our 6G strategy. We’re exploring green air interfaces, energy-efficient modulation schemes, and AI-driven power optimization to achieve a 10x to 100x improvement in energy efficiency over 5G.

Additionally, integrating renewable energy sources, like solar-powered cell towers, aligns with the UAE’s Net Zero 2050 strategy, ensuring our networks are both powerful and environmentally responsible.

Q: What collaborative efforts are in place to advance 6G research and development?

Marwan Bin Shakar

We are partnering with TDRA, NYU Abu Dhabi, and Khalifa University to drive 6G innovation. Our strategic alliances enable early-stage research, technology trials, and the development of new applications that align with global standards. We’re also contributing to the IMT-2030 global framework and conducting real-world trials of emerging 6G technologies to shape international standards and ensure readiness.

Q: What message would you like to convey to the technology community regarding 6G?

Marwan Bin Shakar

The evolution to 6G is not just incremental; it’s transformative. At e&, we are committed to leading this change, ensuring that the UAE remains at the forefront of global technological advancement. We invite academia, developers, and technology innovators to join us in shaping the future of connectivity.