5G-ACIA and one6G Joint Webinar Explored the Future of 6G for Industrial Automation

On 15 July 2026, 5G-ACIA and one6G jointly hosted the webinar “6G Use Cases for Industrial Automation,” bringing together experts from industry and research to discuss how next-generation wireless technologies will support the future of manufacturing, robotics, and intelligent industrial systems.

Moderated by Dr. Michael Hertwig, Head of the 5G-ACIA Office, the webinar examined the evolution from today’s industrial 5G deployments toward 6G-enabled automation. The event highlighted emerging use cases, technological challenges, and the growing role of AI-driven connectivity in future industrial environments.

The webinar opened with “Industrial Requirements and the Evolution from 5G to 6G” (PDF version of the slides available here.), presented by Michael Bahr (Siemens, 5G-ACIA). He provided an overview of the current state of industrial 5G and the lessons learned from early deployments. He discussed how increasing demands for flexibility, resilience, and automation are shaping the requirements for 6G, emphasizing the capabilities that next-generation wireless networks will need to deliver for future smart factories. Presentation in PDF available here.

The second session, “Empowering Waste Sorting Robotics with 6G” (PDF version of the slides available here.), was presented by Al Costa (Tekntrash, one6G). He demonstrated how 6G technologies can transform recycling operations through intelligent robotics, illustrating how ultra-reliable connectivity, real-time data exchange, AI-enabled decision-making, and holographic telepresence can support autonomous waste sorting while improving both efficiency and sustainability. Presentation in PDF available here.

Providing an industry perspective, Xueli An (Huawei, 5G-ACIA) delivered “Industry Perspective: Future Industrial Networks and Automation” (PDF version of the slides available here.). The presentation explored the evolution of industrial communication networks and future connectivity architectures, examining how private wireless networks and advanced 6G capabilities could enable increasingly autonomous manufacturing environments while addressing the challenges of integrating these technologies into industrial operations. Presentation in PDF available here.

The final technical presentation, “Future of Robotics with Connected Intelligence” (PDF version of the slides available here.), was delivered by Javan Erfanian (Veezhen, one6G). He introduced the concept of connected intelligence, focusing on the convergence of 6G, embodied AI, and intelligent robotics. The session outlined future architectural approaches that could enable highly autonomous robotic systems through advanced wireless connectivity, physical AI collaboration, and next-generation teleoperation. Presentation in PDF available here.

The webinar concluded with an interactive Q&A session, where participants engaged with the speakers on topics including the industrial use cases expected to drive 6G adoption, the evolution beyond 5G, AI-native networking, and future research and standardization priorities. The discussion reflected the strong interest from both industry and academia in shaping the next generation of industrial wireless communication.

The joint webinar demonstrated the complementary expertise of 5G-ACIA and one6G and reinforced the importance of collaboration in advancing 6G technologies for industrial automation. As research and standardization activities continue, industrial use cases such as intelligent robotics, autonomous production systems, and AI-enabled connectivity are expected to play a central role in defining the capabilities of future 6G networks.

A recording of the webinar will be published on the 5G-ACIA website by the end of July.