AI-Native Network Future
Nokia and Nvidia Unveil AI-RAN Platform, Targeting 100% Network Efficiency Gains by 2028
Anonymous
Key Points
1
AI-RAN will be complemented by the AirScale capacity plug-in unit and cloud-native deployment options, giving operators practical choices for adopting AI-native networks using their existing AirScale or ORAN-compliant radios.
2
Nokia and NVIDIA plan to bring CUDA and AI into the baseband, effectively turning the RAN into a planet-scale AI computer that runs AI workloads at the radio edge.
3
Justin Hotard, Nokia’s CEO, calls AI-RAN 'the biggest innovation in radio in decades' and notes it can be deployed on existing Nokia or ORAN-compliant radios, signaling a software-centric upgrade path.
Nokia has launched what it calls the industry's first commercial AI-RAN platform, built with Nvidia, promising to more than double mobile network capacity by 2028. The platform targets over 100% spectral efficiency gains — meaning operators could carry twice as much data on the same airwaves, according to Market Screener.
Nokia CEO Justin Hotard called it 'the biggest innovation in radio in decades.' The commercial launch is set for 2027, with pilot deployments starting by end of 2026, according to AI News.
Nokia and Nvidia Turn the Radio Tower Into an AI Computer
The platform combines Nokia's anyRAN software with Nvidia's Aerial AI-RAN system. Together, they bring CUDA — Nvidia's core computing technology — into the radio baseband. The goal is to turn every cell tower into a node in what Nokia describes as a 'planet-scale AI computer,' according to AI News.
The platform supports three new accelerated computing baseband units. It is fully ORAN compliant, meaning it works with equipment from other vendors. Operators can upgrade via software rather than ripping out hardware. Early tests already show efficiency gains above 20%, with a target of 50% by 2027, per Market Screener.
Nvidia Backs the Bet With a $1 Billion Investment
Nvidia is investing $1 billion in Nokia shares to fund the AI-RAN push, according to Crypto Briefing. The two companies are targeting a market they expect to exceed $200 billion by 2030. The investment was announced alongside the platform reveal and signals Nvidia's deeper move into telecom infrastructure.
Nokia plans to sell AI features through a software subscription model. That means operators pay ongoing fees for new AI tools and performance upgrades, rather than buying new radio equipment. It is a shift toward the kind of recurring-revenue model common in cloud software.
Operators Can Start Upgrading Without Swapping Hardware
Nokia designed the platform to work with radios operators already own. It supports existing AirScale radios as well as any ORAN-compliant gear. A new AirScale capacity plug-in unit and cloud-native deployment options give operators more flexibility, according to Guru Focus.
The upgrade path spans 4G, 5G, and future 6G networks. Operators do not need to replace infrastructure to get started. That lowers the barrier for carriers who want AI-native features but cannot afford a full network overhaul.
What 100% Spectral Efficiency Actually Means for Users
Spectral efficiency measures how much data a network can push through a fixed slice of radio spectrum. Doubling it means carriers can serve more users, run faster speeds, or do both — without buying new spectrum licenses. That is significant at a time when spectrum is scarce and expensive, according to Zamin.
Nokia frames AI-RAN as the foundation for AI-driven services at the network edge — things like low-latency AI apps that run closer to users rather than in distant data centers. The 2027 commercial launch gives the industry roughly two years to prepare for a software-defined radio era.
Sentiment
Mostly PositiveNEGATIVENEUTRALPOSITIVE
Publishers
18
Articles
35
Reach
53
Topics
A
AnonymousAuthor