Nvidia and Nokia Report Strong Progress in AI-Driven RAN, Nearly 20 Operators Engaged

Image: Kavit Majithia · Source

Nvidia and Nokia have made significant advances in their AI-RAN partnership, with close to 20 global operators committed to lab and commercial trials. Key players like T-Mobile and Orange are already deploying or trialing this technology, signaling growing momentum in AI-powered radio access networks.

Nvidia and Nokia are seeing substantial progress with their AI-powered Radio Access Network (AI-RAN) partnership announced a year ago, signaling growing industry enthusiasm for artificial intelligence in telecom networks. In an exclusive interview at Nvidia’s GTC 2026 event in Berlin, Nokia’s Chief Technology and AI Officer Pallavi Mahajan and Nvidia’s Senior Vice President of Telco Ronnie Vasishta outlined how close to 20 operators worldwide have committed to testing and deploying AI-RAN technology, with 10 of them located in Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA).

Mahajan emphasized that these operators are at various stages, from laboratory experiments to commercial trials. For example, in 2027, BT Group, Deutsche Telekom, and Elisa are expected to conduct trials, with Elisa preparing for commercial launch. In the United States, T-Mobile has completed what is described as the world’s first AI-RAN call on a live network, while France’s Orange is rolling out AI-enhanced voice and intelligence services for enterprise customers.

The rapid development pace has exceeded early skepticism about AI-RAN’s viability. Vasishta noted that just a year or two ago, the idea of commercializing AI-driven RAN with Nokia might have been doubted, but the current surge in trials and deployments underscores its practical value. Mahajan highlighted that AI brings real efficiency benefits to RAN, particularly significant improvements in spectrum utilization.

Looking ahead, Mahajan predicted the convergence of network and computing infrastructure, which will unlock new opportunities for operators beyond 5G and into 6G eras. Vasishta underlined Nvidia’s long-standing commitment, tracing back eight years to their software-defined RAN efforts, with the collaboration with Nokia since 2025 accelerating the initiative significantly.

Despite the diversity among global operators in market focus and operational styles, there is a clear consensus moving toward AI-RAN adoption. This momentum reflects a broader industry trend to leverage AI to enhance network performance and unlock new service possibilities.

The interview provides an insightful update on how AI is reshaping telecom network architecture, showcasing tangible progress and a growing list of operators actively pursuing AI-RAN technology worldwide.