Nokia has announced the next step in how it is bringing AI-native networks to commercial reality with NVIDIA, with new capabilities that apply AI within radio processing, support intelligence close to where data is generated and extend governed AI agents for cross-domain network operations. Building on the industry's first commercial AI-RAN platform announced in July, AI-RAN is being integrated into live networks and moving closer to deployment.
Nokia has announced new AI-RAN capabilities with NVIDIA, applying AI within radio processing and extending governed AI agents for network operations.
Nokia AI-native anyRAN software runs on NVIDIA Aerial RAN Computer, applying AI within the 5G signal-processing chain including channel estimation, beamforming, multi-user MIMO pairing and scheduling.
Elisa ran voice, mobile data and video analytics simultaneously on the same AI-RAN platform in its 5G network in Helsinki.
BT is preparing to deploy a live-network trial in Birmingham in 2027.
Deutsche Telekom and Nokia's initial laboratory measurements of AI-based channel estimation showed typical uplink throughput improvements of 10-15%.
Nokia and NVIDIA are co-creating a sovereign agentic AI platform integrating NVIDIA AI Enterprise software and Nemotron models into Nokia's agentic platform.
"The next era of connectivity will be defined by networks that do far more than connect: They will distribute intelligence, continuously optimize performance and enable entirely new AI-powered services, including the emerging world of physical AI," said Pallavi Mahajan, Chief Technology and AI Officer at Nokia. "Together with NVIDIA and leading operators, Nokia is turning this vision into reality by bringing AI into the radio network and across network operations. This creates a trusted, software-defined foundation that helps operators get more from their spectrum today while enabling new Physical AI use cases and opening a practical path toward increasingly autonomous, AI-native 6G networks."
"The next generation of telecommunications infrastructure will be built on a software-defined architecture," said Ronnie Vasishta, Senior Vice President, Telecom at NVIDIA. "NVIDIA and Nokia are combining CUDA accelerated computing and AI with Nokia's network software and expertise to improve radio performance and deploy trusted AI agents. Together, we are advancing software-defined, AI-native 5G and laying the foundation for 6G."
One year ago, Nokia and NVIDIA formed a partnership to add NVIDIA-powered, commercial-grade AI-RAN products to Nokia's radio access network portfolio. The companies are now applying AI within the 5G signal-processing chain, including channel estimation, beamforming, multi-user MIMO pairing and scheduling.
Recent customer activity provides growing evidence of deployment progress:
In Helsinki, Elisa ran voice, mobile data and video analytics simultaneously on the same AI-RAN platform in its 5G network, demonstrating how AI-RAN can support radio and AI workloads in a live network environment. Distributed deployment and the evaluation of customer use cases and commercial AI-RAN services are expected in 2027.
BT is preparing to deploy a live-network trial in Birmingham in 2027.
Deutsche Telekom and Nokia are developing AI-based channel estimation as part of a broader set of AI-driven capabilities. Initial laboratory measurements showed typical uplink throughput improvements of 10-15%, with greater gains under more complex radio conditions.
Orange plans to progress on testing AI-RAN in both lab and real network conditions.
Nokia is extending its AI-RAN ecosystem through distributed applications that run at the network edge and enable new services. Nokia's E3 interface gives these applications real-time access to RAN data, turning the radio network into a programmable platform for sensing and localized intelligence.
DeepSig is developing spectrum-sensing software that uses existing radio infrastructure to identify RF threats, interference and rogue transmitters. ZaiNar is integrating its positioning software with Nokia Cloud AI-RAN to enable precise, network-based location capabilities using existing wireless infrastructure.
Dell Technologies, Quanta Cloud Technology and Supermicro are supporting flexible NVIDIA Aerial RAN Computer configurations, while Red Hat is bringing AI-RAN technologies onto a common cloud-native platform with Red Hat OpenShift.
NVIDIA AI Enterprise software and NVIDIA Nemotron models and libraries are being integrated into Nokia's agentic platform, allowing operators to build, evaluate, deploy and operate telco-specific agents across radio, core, transport and cloud networks. Glass-box autonomy maintains operator oversight, while agentic guardrails govern how actions are tested and executed.
The combined architecture supports on-premises, cloud and hybrid deployments, giving operators control over where operational data, models and policies reside. Several telecommunication providers, including etisalat UAE, MEO and Airtel, are working with Nokia to identify advanced use cases and integration timelines.
About Nokia
Nokia is a global leader in connectivity infrastructure, enabling the AI supercycle. We build networks that connect intelligence and deliver a comprehensive connectivity solution across fixed, mobile, IP, optical, core, and data center networks. With security by design, AI-driven innovation, and AI-optimized architecture, Nokia delivers trusted infrastructure that enables AI to scale and advances connectivity to secure a brighter world.
