White paper: Towards Human-centric and Sustainable 6G Services -- the fortiss Research Perspective

TL;DR

This white paper outlines fortiss's vision for 6G, emphasizing human-centric, sustainable, and AI-enabled communication systems that align technological advancements with societal needs and long-term impacts.

Contribution

It introduces a comprehensive research perspective on 6G focusing on semantic communication, green orchestration, and distributed AI for societal and technological benefits.

Findings

Identification of key research domains for 6G development

Proposal of AI-native networking and energy-aware frameworks

Emphasis on responsible innovation and interdisciplinary collaboration

Abstract

As a leading research institute in software-intensive systems, fortiss is actively shaping the vision of Sixth Generation Mobile Communication (6G). Our mission is to ensure that 6G technologies go beyond technical advancements and are aligned with societal needs. fortiss plays a key role in 6G initiatives worldwide, including contributions to standardization bodies and collaborative Research and Development programs. We focus on software-defined, AI-enabled, and sustainable communication services that prioritize human values and long-term impact. 6G will redefine digital connectivity through cognitive intelligence, decentralized orchestration, and sustainability-oriented architectures. As expectations rise for ultra-reliable low-latency communication (URLLC) and personalized digital services, 6G must outperform prior generations. It will rely on AI-native networking, Edge-Cloud resource orchestration, and energy-aware data frameworks, ensuring both technical performance and societal relevance. This white paper presents the fortiss vision for a human-centric, sustainable, and AI-integrated 6G network. It outlines key research domains such as semantic communication, green orchestration, and distributed AI, all linked to societal and technological challenges. The white paper is aimed at researchers, industry experts, policymakers, and developers. It articulates the strategic direction and contributions of fortiss to 6G, emphasizing responsible innovation and interdisciplinary collaboration toward a meaningful 2030 vision.