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UK could lag in AI race as 5G upgrades fall behind
A recent Which? analysis, using Opensignal data, ranked the UK 57th globally for network performance and showed it has weaker mobile coverage than EU and other G7 peers.
The UK risks falling behind in the global AI race because telecom upgrades are not keeping pace with the infrastructure needs of AI, according to senior industry executives cited by The Guardian Business.
Executives warned that while the AI buildout has focused on expanding data centres and securing water and energy for computing, the next bottleneck is likely to be the broadband and mobile networks that must carry a surge of AI-related traffic from consumers and businesses.
The article points to UK mobile performance gaps, citing a Which? report based on Opensignal data that ranked the country 57th globally for network performance, 70th for download speeds, and 55th for reliable quality required for uses such as video calls, streaming, and gaming.
Andrea Donà, networks director at Vodafone, said UK networks are already sub-optimal and warned that mass AI usage would magnify the quality gap, while mobile operators link delays to planning rules even as they invest in 5G upgrades.