
Team Outperforms 65 Global Competitors in Advancing AI-Driven Wireless Systems
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Khalifa University of Science and Technology’s 6G Research Center (6GRC) has won first place globally in the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) Large Wireless Model (LWM) Challenge 2025 that brought together 65 teams from around the world to advance AI-native and data-efficient wireless communication, a cornerstone for the next generation of 6G networks.
The winning 6GRC team included Post Doctoral Fellows, Dr. Yu Tian, Dr. Brahim Mefgouda, and Research Engineer Anis Bara, from Computer and Information Engineering, under the guidance of Professor Merouane Debbah, Director, 6GRC. The team’s creative experimentation, robust model design, and extensive pipeline optimization achieved a remarkable performance, elevating the final performance score from, surpassing baselines and securing the top rank globally.
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Organized by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) – the United Nations agency for information and communication technologies – the LWM Challenge focuses on teaching AI to ‘read’ the airwaves. Participants develop models capable of learning from wireless signals with minimal guidance, identifying clear paths or obstacles, predicting the best wireless signals to use, reduce noise in communication channels, and accurately locate devices.
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Professor Merouane Debbah said: “This outstanding achievement by our 6G Research Center ²ÝÝ®ÊÓÆµ Khalifa University’s global leadership in wireless AI research and reinforces the UAE’s growing influence in shaping 6G innovation ecosystems. It also reflects the UAE’s vision to lead in deep tech innovation and contribute to global standards for AI-native networks. The team’s success is a proud example of how homegrown talent continues to push the boundaries of science and technology.â€
Alisha Roy
Science Writer