AI Takes Center Stage at the Shanghai World Mobile Communication Conference

On June 29, reports highlighted the World Mobile Communications Conference in Shanghai, where artificial intelligence (AI) took the spotlight. Innovations included smartphones capable of identifying "deepfake" scams and advanced autonomous vehicles. Major Chinese companies showcased their latest products and visions for an AI-driven future.

At the conference, the smartphone brand Honor introduced technology designed to recognize deepfake scam calls and provide real-time alerts to users. As generative AI gains traction, deepfake calls—where scammers use manipulated images, voices, or videos—present a growing threat. For example, a Hong Kong employee lost around $26 million to a scammer impersonating a colleague during a video call. During a demonstration, Honor showcased a user altering their appearance with realistic AI for a video call, which triggered a warning on the recipient's device about potential "face-swapping."

Honor's CEO, Zhao Ming, emphasized AI's transformative impact on user experiences and its role in safeguarding authenticity. Lala Devar from GSMA stated, "I believe AI will undoubtedly reshape our perceptions of life and business."

Additionally, Huawei unveiled its latest technological solutions at the conference. The company upgraded its generative AI and mobile operating system, now surpassing Apple in market share within China. During the opening session, Huawei's ICT Infrastructure Business Management Committee Director, Wang Tao, highlighted the importance of the new 5G iteration, known as "5.5G." At a recent developers' conference, Huawei announced that its latest HarmonyOS will be commercially available in the fourth quarter of this year, featuring communication speeds several times faster than its predecessor and a 20% reduction in energy consumption. Currently, the HarmonyOS ecosystem supports over 900 million devices.