John Hoffman: "They still call us Mobile World Congress, but we are much more than that."

BarcelonaTwo days before the start of the twentieth edition of the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, ​​which will take place from Monday, March 2 to Thursday, March 5 at the Barcelona Trade Fair, John Hoffman, director of GSMA Ltd. – the trade association of telcos and organizer of the most important technology congress in the world – welcomes ARA to talk about the evolution of the event and technology, its legacy and its close link with Barcelona.

What would you highlight about this edition of MWC?

— So, here are some key points. Our conference program, the Thought Leadership Program, addresses where we are today and where we're going, covering some of the most pressing issues. We have 24 stages and between 1,700 and 1,800 speakers who will discuss a wide range of topics. This is complemented by 3,000 exhibitors in approximately 240,000 square meters of exhibition space. We also have Four Years From Now (4YFN), the entrepreneurial section, the startup space in Hall 8. We believe it's a must-see. Then there's a part that many people aren't aware of, perhaps one of the most critical: our ministerial program, which is invitation-only. We'll have over 190 delegations from around the world discussing public policy and governance in today's environment. Topics like AI ethics will be highly relevant. And how to share good governance practices in a world where the goal isn't necessarily to restrict, but rather to establish appropriate frameworks and allow technology to advance with the right controls. I think it will be a very interesting session during MWC. Moreover, the event is celebrating its 20th anniversary. When we arrived in Barcelona 20 years ago, we had already begun the ministerial program.

This year there are also new spaces.

Yes, there are some special areas. CircuitX, which premieres on Sunday at the Montmeló circuit, and which we'll then take to MWC, will allow visitors to remotely drive and use technology applied in the automotive sector. The new New Frontiers area, at the entrance to Hall 6, will focus on satellite connectivity and quantum computing. Quantum technology is rapidly entering the mobility sector, and all of this will be on display. And right at the south entrance will be the Airport of the Future section. This one is close to my heart, as it's the result of our airport summits here in Barcelona and in other parts of the world. Aviation and airports are major users of connectivity, and this showcases where airport connectivity and technological advancements can go. The interactive experience will be very engaging. So, it's a very full four days. And we're expanding it with the Talent Arena at Fira de Montjuïc. On Thursday, young people will be there to experience the full program. We started with the mSchools program here in Catalonia with boys and girls, then digital skills development at the Talent Arena, 4YFN, the exhibition area, the main stage, and some end up in the political sphere. It's the whole ecosystem.

The theme of this edition is "The IQ Era". Why?

— Because we're talking about intelligence, and that concept encompasses many things. Obviously, AI will be a central theme. Innovation, technological roadmaps... The IQ era encompasses it all. It's like giving technology a personal touch. Sometimes technologists speak in the abstract, theoretically; the IQ era makes it more understandable. I think it's a great motto.

There's been talk lately about a possible AI bubble. What do you think?

— I don't know if it's a bubble. Every time there's a technological leap, there's a lot of noise. Some call it a bubble, but everyone wants a piece of the action. Some will succeed, others not so much, but then the curve levels off. Not everyone can be a part of it. I don't think it's a bubble. Some will be less successful, and that's often associated with a bubble when something bursts. But it's a natural evolution. Three or four years ago, we weren't talking about this, and now we're visiting AI companies all over the world doing amazing, cutting-edge things. And this will be very evident at MWC26.

Can you give an example?

— For example, companies are talking about AI applied to customer service. Mobile operators are big users of customer service and operations centers; if we make them more efficient, it will be good for business. We've also been using AI to optimize networks for years, so AI is heavily involved in operations. Now we're moving into a stage of general-purpose AI: writing, analysis, storytelling—many of the things journalists do—and it will do much more. In the past, we said that for 5G to be successful, we needed... big dataIoT (Internet of Things) and AI to process it all. Now we have all these components, which come together and make technology more usable and have a huge global impact. The mobile sector alone represents approximately 6.2% of global GDP. It has an enormous impact.

Mobile World Congress celebrates its twentieth anniversary in Barcelona. How has it evolved over these two decades?

— Twenty years ago, we only talked to each other, the mobile ecosystem. Then it evolved. With the transition from 2G to 3G, data became the foundation of services, but it was only rudimentary data; we had SMS and things like that. When we moved towards 4G, we experienced globalization and technological convergence, and new companies emerged. Not entirely new, but companies that weren't in our sector began to become very important. Companies like Google, Microsoft, and Meta integrated mobile into their businesses. I remember when the president of Google said at a Mobile World Congress that they would no longer write code for desktop computers, only for mobile devices. It was monumental at the time. That evolution has taken place. 2015 was the year when half of the attendees were from the industry. telco and the other half of vertical sectors: fintechGovernments, education, manufacturing, pharmaceuticals. Now it's 40%. telco And 60% of companies are undergoing digital transformation. We've evolved a lot. They still call us Mobile World Congress, but we're much more than that. Connectivity is at the core.

How do you think it will be in five or ten years?

— I don't think it has to be radically different from what it is now, but it will continue to evolve with connectivity at its core. In five years, we might be in the 6G era, although it might be called something else. There will be new companies and innovations.

And will he still be in Barcelona? There had been talk of Qatar's desire to stay...

— It will be in Barcelona. There is interest in other locations, but Barcelona is our flagship event. We are also in Asia and the US, and we have launched a spin-off in Doha, Qatar, which we'll be holding again this year. But there's only one Mobile World Congress, and it's in Barcelona. It's our flagship event. Why should we go anywhere else?

It will also be bigger, after the expansion of the Fira.

— It will be. Hall 0 opens in a couple of years, and it will be bigger by default. I've been to the construction site, and it's progressing very well. There will be a fourteen-story office tower, a two-level exhibition area, and a new conference center. It's under construction now, but it will be spectacular.

Are you concerned about the potential impact on Congress of the recent train problems?

— There may be some inconvenience, but Barcelona has excellent public transport: buses, metro, taxis, and bicycles. If train service is reduced, we will compensate with buses between Fira Montjuïc and Fira Gran Via.

Has the situation in the US and Donald Trump's policies affected you in any way?

— No. There will be a large US delegation, including representatives from the FCC. They will be present at the ministerial program, and many bilateral meetings will be held with other countries, but we don't force people together; they gravitate towards each other naturally, and their bilateral conversations take place. These are open dialogues within the ministerial program. We also haven't seen any dramatic changes in US participation. Ultimately, we don't have much contact with politicians or governments beyond the Spanish one, because they don't come here to talk about politics. We welcome everyone.

On the other hand, will Israel finally be present, given that they initially announced they would not participate in Mobile World Congress?

— Yes, they will be there. Israel has always had a strong presence. They are an innovative technological powerhouse. This year, we will also have Palestinian participation at 4YFN, as they did in Doha last November. We are an inclusive organization. We only exclude countries under formal international sanctions, such as Russia or North Korea.