Finnish telecommunications giant Nokia has officially unveiled the AI-RAN platform — the industry's first commercial solution where artificial intelligence is embedded directly into the radio access network architecture from the ground up. The development is based on Nvidia's accelerated computing and marks perhaps the most significant shift in radio infrastructure architecture in recent decades.
The platform combines RAN (Radio Access Network) functions and AI computing on a unified hardware foundation, eliminating the traditional separation between signal processing and intelligent analytics. This allows telecom operators not just to modernize existing networks, but to dramatically increase the return on already deployed frequencies and equipment. Pilot deployments are scheduled for late 2026, with commercial deliveries starting in 2027.
Spectral efficiency growth: from 20% to 100%
The key metric is spectral efficiency — the amount of data a network can transmit within the available frequency range. During tests, the platform demonstrated an increase of over 20% in this metric. Nokia's ambitious targets: 50% by 2027 and over 100% by 2028. These figures mean operators will be able to handle twice as much traffic on the same frequencies without expanding the spectrum.
The technological foundation of AI-RAN is Nokia's own anyRAN software combined with the Nvidia Aerial AI-RAN platform. The solution supports 4G and 5G standards and lays the groundwork for a smooth transition to 6G — exclusively through software updates, without replacing hardware.
Subscription model and global partnership
Nokia is radically changing its business model by moving to a subscription basis. Instead of waiting for the next equipment replacement cycle, operators will receive new AI algorithms, network optimization tools, and performance improvements as they are released — through regular software updates. This turns the network into a constantly evolving asset.
Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang emphasized: "We are embedding CUDA and artificial intelligence into base stations, turning the RAN into an AI computer on a planetary scale." It is worth recalling that back in October 2025, Nvidia announced the purchase of a 2.9% stake in Nokia for $1 billion — this strategic partnership has now reached the level of a real product.
Expert opinion: The transition to AI-native networks is not just an evolution, but a tectonic shift. If Nokia truly manages to achieve a 100% increase in spectral efficiency by 2028, it will change the economics of mobile communications. Operators will no longer have to spend billions on purchasing new frequencies — they will be able to "squeeze" the maximum out of existing ones. However, the key question is whether the mass deployment of real-time AI at the base station level can operate stably and without delays under peak loads. We will see the answer in just a couple of years.