NTT to Show How Photonics Could Make AI Greener at MWC 2026

Japan’s NTT Group is making its first joint appearance at this year’s Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona in seven years, and it’s bringing a bold vision for energy-efficient AI. The group, which includes NTT, DOCOMO, and NTT DATA, is using the event to show how AI and photonics could help solve one of tech’s biggest challenges: rising energy use.

AI workloads are rapidly increasing, and data centers are projected to consume significantly more power. NTT’s solution is IOWN (Innovative Optical and Wireless Network) technology, which replaces certain traditional electronics with light-based systems. This approach could enable faster and more efficient AI computations while reducing electricity costs.

NTT CEO Akira Shimada will give a keynote in Barcelona on March 4, focusing on early progress in combining photonics and electronics, as well as optical quantum computing. Although these technologies are still experimental, they could lead to energy-efficient computing that supports large-scale AI with less physical infrastructure.

The showcase is divided into two areas. The first, AI-resilient infrastructure with photonics, focuses on hardware such as energy-efficient data centers, AI-enabled 6G networks, and NTT’s Network for AI, which is designed to facilitate seamless interaction between humans, AI, and robots. The second area, AI-powered services and solutions, features practical applications including NTT DATA’s Agentic AI for enterprise automation, DOCOMO’s remote robot operation platform, and new personal AI agents for entertainment and productivity.

For attendees in Barcelona, this joint appearance is significant. Since their last combined showing in 2019, the companies have unified under the NTT Group brand. Presenting together demonstrates their commitment to building a cohesive, scalable ecosystem rather than isolated technologies.

The main question is whether these ideas can be put into practice. Photonics and optical quantum computing are still mostly experimental, and it’s not clear if they will work commercially. By highlighting these technologies at MWC, NTT is joining the discussion about how AI infrastructure can grow in a sustainable way.

As AI’s energy needs become more urgent, NTT’s showcase in Barcelona offers a look at a future where photonics could help AI grow without harming the environment. Whether the demonstrations deliver or are still just ideas, the event will likely draw a lot of interest from people focused on AI, networking, and sustainable technology.