6G Metacrystal Panels and AI Computing Power Surge in China

Chinese researchers have developed a novel 3D-printed “metacrystal” panel that can passively guide 6G radio waves around obstacles, offering a low-cost solution to one of next-generation telecommunications’ most persistent challenges. In a parallel development, a new government report has ranked China’s artificial intelligence computing power as the second largest in the world, underscoring the country’s rapid technological ascent.

The Metacrystal Breakthrough

Published in Nature Communications on June 8, researchers at Aalto University in Finland, in collaboration with Stanford University, introduced a passive intelligent panel called a “metacrystal” that redirects wireless signals without requiring power or electronic components. Unlike traditional solutions that rely on additional routers, repeaters, or base stations, these panels function like mirrors for radio waves, guiding existing signals to hard-to-reach areas such as basements, tunnels, and behind walls.

According to People’s Daily, the metacrystal uses a 3D volumetric architecture that can simultaneously process multiple incident signals across different frequency bands, polarizations, and angles of arrival. This marks a significant advance over conventional metasurfaces, which typically handle only one signal type at a time.

First author Mohammad M. Asgari of Aalto University compared the technology to a mirror: “When a room lacks sufficient light, you can either add more lamps or use a mirror to redirect existing light to where it’s needed. The metacrystal works similarly — it doesn’t generate new wireless signals but redirects existing ones to areas that are otherwise difficult to cover.”

Cost-Effective and Scalable

Each panel is estimated to cost only tens of euros in materials when manufactured via 3D printing, as reported by Science and Technology Daily. This is dramatically cheaper than traditional reconfigurable intelligent surfaces, which require complex control circuits. The metacrystals are designed to operate up to 100 GHz, covering the millimeter-wave and sub-THz bands essential for 6G communications.

The research team is actively pursuing commercialization and exploring next-generation reconfigurable metacrystals that can automatically adjust performance based on environmental changes. The technology is particularly suited for factories, warehouses, indoor 5G/6G networks, and long corridors with relatively fixed layouts.

China’s AI Computing Power Ranks Second Globally

On the same day, the National Data Administration released the “Digital China Development Report (2025),” revealing that China’s intelligent computing power reached 1.59 million PFlops (FP16) by the end of 2025, ranking second globally. Xinhua News reported that the country had over 13.73 million standard server racks in use, with 42 “10,000-card” AI computing clusters built.

Digital Infrastructure at Scale

The report, also covered by China Daily, highlighted that China’s internet user base reached 1.125 billion people, with an internet penetration rate of 80.1%. Generative AI adoption is accelerating rapidly: 457 million people use AI to answer questions, 288 million use it to generate images and videos, and 184 million use it as a life assistant. Among generative AI users, 74.6% are under 40 years old, suggesting strong future growth as younger cohorts continue to adopt AI tools.

Analysis and Implications

The simultaneous emergence of these two developments paints a picture of a technology ecosystem advancing on multiple fronts. The metacrystal breakthrough addresses a fundamental physics challenge for 6G — high-frequency signals are easily blocked by obstacles — with an elegantly simple, passive solution. At tens of euros per panel with zero power consumption, metacrystals could make 6G signal coverage economically viable in ways that active repeater-based solutions cannot match.

Meanwhile, China’s second-place ranking in AI computing power confirms its position as a major AI powerhouse, behind only the United States. The 42 “10,000-card” clusters represent billions of dollars in GPU infrastructure investment, and the country’s massive generative AI user base — among the largest in the world — positions it well for continued leadership in AI applications.

What’s Next

The metacrystal research team is working toward commercialization and exploring reconfigurable designs that can adapt to changing environments. For China’s digital infrastructure, the “Digital China” strategy continues to drive investment in computing power and connectivity. Key questions remain: how China’s AI computing power compares numerically to the US, and how metacrystal technology will integrate with existing 5G infrastructure during the transition to 6G.