UK SPF Cluster 1: Spectrum demand from AI

This Cluster 1 workshop will explore how AI and DSA frameworks can reshape spectrum management policy and practice.

We will examine: 

• The policy implications of AI‑driven, dynamic spectrum decision‑making. 

• How AI‑enhanced spectrum management supports national sustainability and net‑zero goals. 

• The role of these innovations in future‑ready digital infrastructure, including 6G. 

Bringing together industry, academia, and government perspectives, this session will provide a forward‑looking view of how the UK can harness AI to manage increasingly complex spectrum ecosystems—and ensure resilient, efficient, and sustainable connectivity for the decade ahead. 

Why Join This Session 

Participants will leave with a clearer understanding of the strategic steps needed now to prepare the UK for a future where reinforcement learning, multi‑band optimisation, and intelligent RAN systems sit at the core of 6G architectures. 

Agenda

Who Should Attend 

This session is designed for anyone shaping the future of wireless systems, spectrum policy, or AI-enabled network architectures, including: 

• Policy & Regulatory Leaders 

• Telecoms & Technology Industry 

• Researchers & Academia 

• Cross‑Sector Innovators & New Entrants 

Background 

As AI moves from static rules to real-time, adaptive decision-making, new policy frameworks are needed to ensure accountability, transparency, and trust. These frameworks must evolve to support next generation dynamic sharing models, enabling more efficient, on demand access to spectrum while continuing to protect incumbent users. At the same time, safeguards, certification approaches, and governance mechanisms will need to mature to keep pace with increasingly autonomous AI driven systems.time, adaptive decisionmaking, new policy frameworks are needed to ensure accountability, transparency, and trust. These frameworks must evolve to support nextgeneration dynamic sharing models, enabling more efficient, ondemand access to spectrum while continuing to protect incumbent users. At the same time, safeguards, certification approaches, and governance mechanisms will need to mature to keep pace with increasingly autonomous AIdriven systems. 

Developments in 3GPPdriven architectures, from RAN intelligence enhancements to UE-assisted measurements, will play a critical role in shaping how AI optimised spectrum systems integrate with existing infrastructures. These changes carry important implications for interoperability, performance, and coordination across domains. Emerging models in which AI operates independently from mobile network operators, using standardised APIs and neutral interoperability layers, introduce new opportunities as well as risks. driven architecturesassisted measurementsoptimised spectrum systems integrate with existing infrastructures. These changes carry important implications for interoperability, performance, and coordination across domains. Emerging models in which AI operates  

AI optimisation of multiband environments and wireless spectrum offers the potential to significantly increase capacity without the need for costly new infrastructure. Effective policy can unlock these gains at scale by encouraging innovation, supporting standards development, and ensuring safe deployment. Optimising existing assets also contributes to sustainability goals by reducing emissions associated with new fibre construction and minimising energy waste across networks. enhanced optimisation of multiband environments and wireless spectrum offers the potential to significantly increase capacity without the need for costly new infrastructure. Effective policy can unlock these gains at scale by encouraging innovation, supporting standards development, and ensuring safe deployment. Optimising existing assets also contributes to sustainability goals by reducing emissions associated with new fibre construction and minimising energy waste across networks.  

As AI, deep reinforcement learning, and multiband optimisation become central components of future mobile broadband and Wi-Fi architectures, strategic action will be essential. The UK must begin preparing now to position itself for leadership in this evolving landscape, ensuring that regulatory frameworks, technical standards, and innovation pathways are aligned with these emerging capabilities.