Physical AI, without the theatre – Siemens finds its private 5G groove Siemens is finding its footing in the private 5G market, but the journey has been anything but straightforward. The company, a leader in Industry 4.0, has long maintained that 5G is not the main attraction but rather a supporting element in a broader technological ecosystem. This perspective has remained consistent, even as the market has evolved. According to Daniel Mai, head of industrial wireless at Siemens, the company is seeing a gradual but meaningful increase in interest in private 5G, though the adoption is slower and more case-driven than initially anticipated. The so-called silver-bullet narrative has not taken hold, and the market remains challenging. Siemens has positioned private 5G as an enabler, embedded within automation solutions rather than as a standalone technology. The company is selling 5G to existing enterprise and OEM customers through its established sales teams, rather than pitching it as a top-down solution like a telco might. This approach reflects a broader industry shift toward addressing real business problems rather than just showcasing shiny new technologies. The same trend has been observed in the IoT and AI markets, where the focus has moved from hype to practical applications. At the MWC in spring 2026, Siemens showcased a demonstration that combined physical AI, generative AI, on-prem LLM, and on-prem 5G. The demo, featuring a robot arm and AGV, highlighted how these technologies can work together to deliver tangible value. However, the demonstration did not include the flashy robots often seen at such events. Instead, it emphasized how these technologies can be integrated into existing systems to solve real-world problems. Mai noted that 5G is not the main topic in this context; it is simply a part of the solution.#mwc_2026 #siemens #daniel_mai #salzgitter #cargill
