Nokia and Nvidia want to turn telecom networks into distributed AI platforms

Nokia and Nvidia are teaming up with telecom operators on an ambitious goal: turning the networks that carry your calls and data into distributed AI platforms. What Nokia and Nvidia are building The partnership pairs Nvidia’s computing stack with Nokia’s radio software. On Nvidia’s side, that means its CUDA platform and its Aerial RAN Computer, known as ARC. On Nokia’s side, it means anyRAN, the company’s software for radio access networks. The target is what the industry calls AI-native RAN, or AI-RAN. The idea is to build artificial intelligence directly into signal processing, rather than bolting it on afterward. If it works, operators could squeeze more performance out of the same airwaves. The companies also frame AI-RAN as groundwork for future 6G networks. It is also meant to deliver meaningful improvements to current 5G operations in the meantime. The numbers behind the pitch The early performance data comes from the lab. AI-enhanced channel estimation has delivered uplink throughput gains of 10-15% in testing. The roadmap is considerably more aggressive than the lab results. The partners are targeting a 50% increase in spectrum efficiency by 2027. They are aiming to more t...