At the India Today AI Summit 2026, Ericsson’s Magnus Ewerbring framed AI and Scale as twin forces shaping India’s smartphone rollout. These ideas are not abstract; they promise faster devices and more affordable options for a wide audience. The takeaway is clear: AI sharpens performance, while Scale keeps prices within reach. Together, they point to a future where India leads through smart design and high volume.
AI and Scale: India’s role in smartphone manufacturing
In Q3 2025, India showed a strong 5G push. Ewerbring noted that 87 percent of all smartphones sold in India were 5G capable. The price of 5G devices has dropped thanks to Scale. The Indian market is growing fast because the supply chain meets demand with efficiency and reach. This is why AI and Scale are mentioned together as the core lever for future devices. When people talk about the Indian market, they are really talking about AI-enabled Scale at work, driving better devices for more users.
Industry observers describe the Scale of Indian manufacturing as phenomenal. The numbers reflect more than hype; they reflect a disciplined approach to mass production, local sourcing, and streamlined logistics. AI helps planners anticipate demand, while Scale ensures products reach households and businesses quickly. The result is a powerful cycle: AI optimizes lines, and Scale reduces unit costs, which then fuels broader adoption. AI and Scale together become a practical, repeatable model rather than a theoretical ideal.
AI boosts network efficiency and Scale advantages
AI is presented as a real-world productivity tool for networks. Ewerbring suggested that networks could become more efficient through smarter automation and analytics. He estimated that spectrum utilisation could improve by about 10 percent with AI-guided optimization. Operators will extract more value from the same bandwidth, turning idle capacity into better user experiences and smarter pricing. The combined effect of AI and Scale is to deliver higher performance without chasing endless hardware upgrades. This is the kind of progress that benefits end users with faster connections and more reliable service.
TRAI regulates radio spectrum in India, and operators win it through auctions. AI helps operators maximize the value of what they already own. In practice, that means better throughput, lower latency, and more responsive services for customers. The core idea remains simple: smarter planning plus bigger reach equals better outcomes for people and businesses. Scale works in concert to unlock a bigger digital economy with the same spectrum assets.
Future devices: AI, Scale, XR and healthcare
Looking ahead, devices will be faster and more capable. AI will drive on-device intelligence, while Scale keeps devices affordable for a broad audience. The field opens up to new forms of hardware, including XR glasses. These glasses could overlay information in real time, supporting tasks from navigation to education. In healthcare, AI-powered overlays could assist surgeons and clinicians in real-time, expanding the reach of advanced care. The idea is not sci-fi; it is a practical extension of AI-enabled Scale into everyday life. A glance at a building could reveal its history as an AR overlay, turning observation into understanding with a simple glance.
As the session progressed, the emphasis stayed consistent: AI is a productivity lever, and Scale is the engine that lowers costs and broadens access. The talk framed AI for All Sovereign AI as a pathway to better performance and entirely new product categories grounded in Scale. The implication for Indian manufacturers is clear: invest in AI to extract more value from existing bandwidth and push Scale outward across markets. AI and Scale are not future fantasies; they are the working tools of a practical strategy for growth.
In sum, the discussion painted a hopeful, grounded picture: AI improves networks, Scale drives affordability, and together they empower a nation with momentum in the market. The India story becomes a model of scale in global smartphone manufacturing, with AI serving as the enabling force behind faster devices and bolder applications. AI and Scale reinforce one another, creating a virtuous cycle that adds resilience and opportunity to every link in the supply chain.
We invite readers to share their thoughts in the comments. Your perspective helps shape how Scale and AI will influence the next wave of devices and systems.
Original article attribution: This post references the India Today AI Summit 2026 coverage. Thank you to India Today for the original material. Original article: https://www.indiatoday.in/technology
External references
- GSMA Mobile Economy: India
- Ericsson: AI in telecoms and network efficiency
- NIST: Artificial Intelligence