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one6G at IEEE ICC 2026: AI-Native Robotics Panel Catalyses the Evolution of 6G Telecom Networks

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At the recent IEEE International Conference on Communications (ICC 2026) in Glasgow, Scotland, the industry panel “PNL-06: AI-Native Robotics: Catalysing the Evolution of 6G Telecom Networks“ brought together leading minds to explore the deep convergence of artificial intelligence, robotics, and next-generation connectivity.

Held on Tuesday, 26 May 2026, the session was organized by the one6G “6G Empowering Robotics” Work Item and endorsed by the euRobotics Connected Robotics Topic Group.

About the Panel

Organized by Dr. Mona Ghassemian (Huawei, King’s College London, UK) and moderated by Dr. Richard Stirling Gallacher (Huawei Technologies, Germany), the panel featured a distinguished lineup of experts sharing perspectives from hyperscalers, research institutes, equipment manufacturers, and mobile network operators:

  • Dr. Basak Yuksel (Amazon, UK) – AI Observability for 6G-Connected Robotics at Scale

  • Prof. Enrico Natalizio (Technology Innovation Institute, UAE) – Communications in Robotics: From Constraint to Capability Multiplier

  • Dr. Adnan Aijaz (Toshiba, UK) – From Packets to Tasks: Can Robotics Redefine 6G?

  • Dr. Arnaud Bouttier (Mitsubishi Electric R&D Centre Europe, France) – Towards Robotics-Aware Networks

  • Dr. Mehmet Basaran (TURKCELL, Turkey) – Mobile Network Operator’s Perspective

Shifting from Vision to Practical Deployment

Building on a series of discussions previously organized at major IEEE events—including PIMRC, GLOBECOM, and past ICCs—this session marked a distinct pivot. Rather than focusing solely on high-level visions, the conversation shifted toward practical deployment experience, architectural evolution, interoperability, and emerging business models.

The discussion examined how industries such as factories, logistics hubs, hospitals, and smart cities can realize measurable, real-world benefits through AI-native robotics and robotics-aware networks. Key advantages highlighted included:

  • Reduced integration complexity and lower total cost of ownership (TCO).

  • Safer human–robot collaboration.

  • Plug-and-play interoperability across mixed-vendor fleets and networks.

  • Smoother migration paths from existing 5G deployments toward 6G systems.

Key Focus Areas

The panel structured its insights around three core pillars:

  • User-Centric Deployment: Emphasizing operational value and real-world applications in diverse sectors such as manufacturing, logistics, healthcare, and smart cities.

  • Future Connectivity: Discussing how AI-native robotics can drive innovation, streamline the transition from 5G to 6G, and enhance safety and collaboration.

  • Technological Innovations: Exploring advancements in integrated sensing, semantic communications, and AI-native control loops crucial for building resilient, robotics-aware networks.

Enabling Technologies for Scalable Autonomy

To support scalable autonomy, operational simplicity, and assured KPIs across heterogeneous environments, the panel addressed several critical enabling technologies:

  • Integrated sensing and communication (ISAC)

  • Semantic and task-oriented communications

  • AI-native control loops

  • Edge–cloud orchestration

  • Intent-based automation

  • Continuous service assurance for safety-critical robotic operations

By bringing together key players from across the robotics and telecommunications ecosystems, the event successfully highlighted how future robotics-aware networks are evolving to meet the strict demands of tomorrow’s automated world.

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