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As 5G dominates commercials and national headlines, data from Deloitte shows that the vast majority of citizens in Europe and the United States say they do not know enough about 5G. Meanwhile, there are mixed reports about the health effects of 5G technology. Conspiracy theorists have even linked 5G to the COVID-19 pandemic, leading arsonists to light new cell towers aflame. While all of this goes on, playing out in the background is somewhat of an arms race for technological supremacy between the West and China, with Beijing strides ahead of its Western counterparts. 

The fact of the matter is that 5G is more than just faster speeds (over 100x faster to be specific), rather it is the foundation of a technological revolution that will open the door to major advancements in sophisticated networks and real-time data that will drive innovation across a myriad of industries including the life sciences, sustainability, and transportation. For this reason, 5G presents serious national security implications not only for the intelligence community, but because of the economic and political challenges that arise from a communications infrastructure possibly dominated by China. 

Despite the health and national security concerns, 5G has the potential to change our world for the better—democratizing knowledge, connectivity, and access to critical services while making our built environment smarter, more agile, and sustainable. We are just in the infancy of 5G implementation, but if world leaders can be more collaborative and inclusive, then we can usher in a brighter future for the human race and enhance the human experience in ways not previously possible. 

Sources

Council On Foreign Relations: What Is 5G?

C-SPAN: Senate Judiciary Committee Hearing on 5G Wireless Development

C-NET: Not just speed - 7 incredible things you can do with 5G

Forbes: How 5G Will Unleash AI

Brookings Institution: Achieving sustainability in a 5G world

Scientific American: 5G Is Coming - How Worried Should We Be About the Health Risks?

Deloitte Insights: 5G is not hazardous to your health: Busting the radiation risk myth

Congressional Research Service: National Security Implications of 5G Mobile Technologies

The Economist: The geopolitics of 5G - America’s war on Huawei nears its endgame

Atlantic Council: The battle for 5G leadership is global and the US is behind