At the 19th edition of the Telecom Review Leaders’ Summit, the topic of discussion was ‘Tech Intelligence Beyond Mobility’. This event convened in Dubai, UAE, from December 10-11, 2025. One of the key speakers was Kageshima Hideo, Director of NEC’s Open Optical Transport Network Solution. In his presentation titled ‘Redefining Optical Networks as Catalysts for Telecom Growth’, Hideo shed light on the pivotal role optical innovation will play in propelling an AI-extended society by 2030.
Hideo initiated his address by outlining NEC’s long-term vision, which revolves around its corporate purpose and five societal aspirations for the year 2030. These aspirations encompass the environment, society, and human life. At the core of this vision lies the integration of AI and robotics as true human partners. NEC envisions a future where AI collaborates seamlessly with humans and robotics offer tangible real-world solutions. These technologies are anticipated to substantially extend human potential, bringing about increases in productivity, intelligence, and the quality of life.
Hideo traced the progression towards this future through three distinct stages. The initial stage, 2025, saw the rise of agentic AI, which began diminishing the barriers between humans and machines and launched standalone AI data centers that largely operate independently.
By 2027, AI is expected to permeate everyday work and life, backed by multi-AI data center networking and site-to-site optical interconnections, thereby dramatically increasing connection points.
By the year 2030, it is predicted that AI will fully amplify human potential through accelerated innovation. This will be facilitated by edge-AI networking, thing-to-thing optical connections, and a surge in network endpoints, leading to a profound evolution in AI networks.
Hideo painted a picture of a future characterized by a blend of computing and network convergence through the concept of ‘optical everywhere.’ Advancements like wavelength optimization, dynamic path provisioning, and on-demand optical networking are expected to maximize resource utilization while offering unparalleled flexibility.
This view aligns with the Innovative Optical and Wireless Network (IOWN) concept, which rests on three pillars: the all-photonics network, a cognitive foundation, and digital twin technologies. Collectively, these will offer ultra-low latency, high-capacity, and intelligent network operations to cater to the demands of AI.
NEC’s answer to these forthcoming challenges is its Open Optical Network Solution. This new-generation data center interconnect model is built for openness and sustainability in the AI era. The strategy lays emphasis on disaggregation and modularity, enabling operators to scale as per their requirements, thereby boosting cost efficiency and agility.
Key components include multi-vendor whitebox transponders to alleviate supply chain risks, comprehensive multi-vendor system integration, and world-first Linux-based network operating systems that provide server-like operability. Features such as zero-touch provisioning, programmability via TIP MUST controllers, and integrated server-network management aim to streamline operations while optimizing performance.
Sustainability was another cornerstone of Hideo’s presentation. NEC’s disaggregated solutions are engineered to support eco-friendly AI data centers, especially in scenarios constrained by power and space. Hardware longevity through modular upgrades and network and power optimization services were underscored as key to minimizing environmental impact while attending to growing AI workloads.
Hideo concluded his keynote by reinforcing NEC’s strategy through real-world deployments. With global centers of excellence and extensive expertise in multi-vendor, multi-layer integration, NEC is dedicated to continuing the advancement of optical networks to amplify human potential in the forthcoming AI-driven decade.
What is NEC’s Open Optical Network Solution?
NEC’s Open Optical Network Solution is a new-generation data center interconnect model designed for openness and sustainability in the AI era. It emphasizes disaggregation and modularity, allowing operators to scale as they grow, therefore improving cost efficiency and agility.
What are the three stages of progression towards an AI-extended society as proposed by NEC?
NEC proposes three stages towards an AI-extended society: the rise of agentic AI in 2025, AI becoming pervasive in everyday life by 2027, and AI fully enhancing human potential by 2030 through accelerated innovation.
How does NEC’s vision for optical networks align with the IOWN concept?
NEC’s vision aligns with the IOWN concept, which is built on three pillars: the all-photonics network, a cognitive foundation, and digital twin technologies. These elements together aim to provide ultra-low latency, high-capacity, and intelligent network operations to meet AI-driven demands.
