There’s a lot of focus on the technologies needed to implement AI. Organizations need powerful servers, massive amounts of high-speed storage and lightning-fast networks to train AI models and support inferencing. However, all of this is of little value if users can’t access it.
Today, most users connect their devices to company networks via Wi-Fi. There are also billions of “smart” devices that need wireless connectivity. In order for users and devices to take advantage of AI, that connectivity needs high throughput, low latency and high levels of reliability. Legacy Wi-Fi technologies aren’t up to the task.
That’s why organizations are planning to migrate to Wi-Fi 7. In a November 2023 survey, 7.5 percent of respondents said they had already deployed Wi-Fi 7, and 41 percent said they planned to do so by the end of 2024. More recent data indicates that overall adoption is still low, but enterprise adoption of the underlying 6GHz spectrum is growing, and it is seen as a future standard.
Why AI Is Driving Wi-Fi 7 Adoption
AI is a significant driver of Wi-Fi 7 adoption. The advanced capabilities of Wi-Fi 7 are necessary to support the high-performance network demands of AI applications, especially for real-time use cases and at the edge.
AI applications such as generative AI and 8K video streaming require massive data input and high throughput. Wi-Fi 7’s 320MHz channels and 4K QAM modulation provide that capacity. 4K QAM (4096 QAM) is a Wi-Fi 7 modulation technology that increases data transfer speeds by packing more data into each signal.
Real-time AI applications such as AR/VR, industrial IoT and autonomous systems need minimal latency for effective operation. Wi-Fi 7 significantly reduces latency through features such as Multi-Link Operation (MLO). MLO is a core component of Wi-Fi 7 that allows a device to send and receive data over multiple frequency bands simultaneously.
As AI workloads move from centralized clouds to distributed edge environments, reliable and high-speed local connectivity becomes critical. Wi-Fi 7 supports a high density of devices with stable connections, making it well-suited for smart cities, smart homes and industrial IoT applications that rely on edge AI.
How AI Supports Wi-Fi 7
AI is not only a consumer of high-performance networks but also a tool for managing their complexity. The increased complexity and performance demands of Wi-Fi 7 networks are prompting the adoption of AI-driven management tools for tasks such as smart spectrum allocation and predictive issue resolution. Radio resource management (RRM) uses AI to automatically optimize the performance of a wireless network by managing its radio frequencies and power levels.
AI-powered Wi-Fi 7 networks optimize traffic and allocate resources efficiently, ensuring a better quality of experience for users. They also help ensure the performance of demanding applications such as real-time communication.
In essence, AI and Wi-Fi 7 form a symbiotic relationship, with AI applications demanding the capabilities that only Wi-Fi 7 can reliably offer, and Wi-Fi 7 leveraging AI for more efficient network operations and management.
What to Look For in a Wi-Fi 7 Solution
To select the right Wi-Fi 7 solution, organizations need to assess their current needs and consider the potential growth of users and devices and the requirements of new applications. A scalable, reliable solution should remain effective for years to come.
Organizations should look for high-quality hardware that explicitly supports key features such as 320MHz channels, 4K QAM modulation and MLO. They should ensure that clients are compatible, particularly with the 6GHz band. For large-scale deployments, organizations should consider the need for high-density access points and features such as Power over Ethernet. The wired network may need upgrading to provide the throughput necessary to support Wi-Fi 7.
Cerium’s networking team has extensive experience in the design, implementation and support of enterprise-class Wi-Fi. We will consult with you to determine your needs and conduct a site survey and other assessments. We will then utilize industry-leading technologies to create a future-proof, high-performance Wi-Fi 7 network.
