Why Network-Agnostic Connectivity is the Lifeblood of Physical AI
Written by: Jason Segarra
Published: February 9, 2026
In the world of enterprise IoT, we are witnessing a fundamental shift. As noted in the IoT Analytics’ State of Enterprise IoT 2026 report, enterprise IoT has moved beyond simple connectivity and into the “Agentic and Physical AI” wave. We are no longer just connecting devices to see where they are; we are connecting them so they can think, decide, and act autonomously.
However, for a robot, autonomous drone, or self-optimizing industrial asset to function, it requires more than just an AI “brain.” It requires a nervous system that never sleeps.
This is the era of ubiquitous autonomy, where the ability to switch seamlessly between technologies ensures that Physical AI can operate anywhere on Earth without the fear of a “dead zone” turning a multi-million dollar asset into a paperweight.
The Evolution: Why Agnostic is the New Standard
For years, connectivity was treated as the commodity plumbing of IoT – necessary, but often a headache to manage. According to the IoT Analytics report, connectivity is now being viewed as a given, a silent infrastructure that enables the high-level intelligence we see in modern autonomous operations.
But as AI moves from reactive assistants to action agents (i.e. systems that trigger physical changes in the real world), the requirements for that backbone have skyrocketed. It is no longer enough to have “good” coverage. To achieve Step 8 of IoT Analytics’ IoT Maturity Curve (Cross-Ecosystem Optimization), coverage must be ubiquitous and path-diverse.
The Convergence: Cellular + Satellite
True agnosticism is built on a hybrid network solution. While cellular technologies such as LTE or 5G RedCap (Reduced Capability) are emerging as a pragmatic middle ground for high-density, mid-speed performance in urban and industrial hubs, they cannot reach the remote corners of the globe alone.
This is where satellite convergence enters the frame. We are seeing a trend in vendors integrating satellite connectivity directly into mainstream cellular IoT modules.
- Terrestrial Cellular (LTE/5G): Provides the high-bandwidth, low-latency pipes needed for complex AI inference in populated or industrial areas.
- Non-Terrestrial Networks (NTN): Satellite links act as the ultimate fail-safe, ensuring that an autonomous mining truck in the Australian Outback or a container ship in the middle of the Atlantic remains connected to its orchestration layer.
This hybrid approach ensures that the OODA Loop (Observe, Orient, Decide, Act) is never broken. If the cellular link drops, the satellite link picks up the slack, keeping the “Agentic AI” synchronized with the broader enterprise ecosystem.
Why “Silent” Matters: The Role of Software-Defined Everything (SDE)
At Soracom, we believe that for autonomy to be truly “ubiquitous,” the underlying complexity must be invisible to the user. This is what the industry refers to as Software-Defined Everything (SDE).
When a Physical AI agent moves between a private cellular network in a factory to a public LTE network on the road – and eventually to a satellite link in a remote region – the transition must be seamless. This is where Soracom’s cloud-native core network shines. By managing the “handshake” between these different technologies at the network level, we allow the AI agent to focus on its goal, whether that is increasing production output or navigating a complex delivery routes.
Security in an Autonomous World
The shift toward agnostic operations also necessitates a shift in security. As the IoT Analytics report highlights, once AI moves from recommending actions to executing them, cybersecurity must evolve.
When you have a “Silent Backbone” stretching across cellular and satellite networks, you need guardrails that go beyond simple user access. At Soracom, we implement Action-Level Permissions and end-to-end traceability. Because our network is the backbone, we can provide a verifiable “paper trail” for every automated change triggered by an AI agent, ensuring that any physical action can be explained, verified, and – if necessary – rolled back.
Summary: Enabling the Agentic Wave
The journey to autonomous operations is not a solo flight for AI. It is a collaborative effort between high-performance edge computing and a ubiquitous, silent connectivity backbone.
As we move toward the end of 2026, the enterprises that win will be those that stop worrying about “how” their devices connect and start focusing on “what” those devices can achieve. By leveraging the convergence of satellite and cellular through a unified platform like Soracom, businesses can finally unlock their AI from the screen and let it drive the real world.
Is your infrastructure ready for the Agentic AI wave? Contact Soracom today to learn how our global IoT SIMs and hybrid connectivity solutions can build the silent backbone your autonomous operations require.
