As policymakers examine what America needs to maintain its global leadership in artificial intelligence, one thing is clear: AI depends on Wi-Fi.
As AI becomes increasingly commonplace in everyday life, pressure won’t just be on data centers to deliver. It will also be on the wireless networks inside homes, offices, hospitals, and factories where AI-powered technologies operate, particularly Wi-Fi, because it already handles nearly 90% of mobile internet traffic. As AI adoption grows, the importance of ensuring Wi-Fi has the unlicensed spectrum it needs to keep up becomes increasingly critical.
Lawmakers in Washington are thinking through these issues, with Chairman Deb Fischer (R-NE) and Ranking Member Ben Ray Luján (D-NM) holding a recent Senate Commerce Committee, Subcommittee on Telecommunications and Media’s hearing entitled, “Intelligent Networks: Powering Artificial Intelligence and Transforming Communications”. That’s why WifiForward urged policymakers to recognize the essential role Wi-Fi, powered by unlicensed spectrum, plays in supporting AI innovation and deployment. The letter called on policymakers to continue supporting Wi-Fi’s full use of the 6 GHz band and consider opportunities for unlicensed spectrum in the lower 7 GHz band as well.
As our letter highlights, new research from Cisco demonstrates how AI traffic is changing, and what it means for wireless networks. AI systems now generate more traffic, operate continuously, and handle large amounts of data – changes that are placing greater demands on Wi-Fi, as these applications are deployed where local networking dominates: in homes, workplaces, and more.
America took a major step forward in 2020 when the Trump Administration’s FCC opened the full 6 GHz band for unlicensed use. Preserving that critical spectrum band has already seen vast benefits, including generating an estimated $870 billion in 2023 and 2024 alone. To build on this great work and increase America’s AI readiness, supporting Wi-Fi through additional unlicensed spectrum will be paramount. With the necessary resources, the United States will remain a global leader in both AI innovation and Wi-Fi.
Read WifiForward’s full letter here.
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