Nvidia is aiming to solve one of the biggest challenges in telecommunications today: how to handle the strain artificial intelligence (AI) puts on wireless networks. And it’s getting a little help from partners like T-Mobile, Ericsson and Nokia to do it.
In a nutshell, Nvidia thinks that AI could be the answer to the very problems it is causing. By integrating AI into the radio access network via its new AI-RAN platform, the company believes it can make mobile networks smarter and faster. T-Mobile is set to be the first company to put this hypothesis – and product – to the test.
AI-RAN has “tremendous potential to completely transform the future of mobile networks, but it will be difficult to get right,” said Mike Sievert, CEO of T-Mobile in a statement. T-Mobile will work with Nvidia, Nokia and Ericsson at its Bellevue AI-RAN Innovation Center to “propel the mobile network industry forward.”
According to Nvidia, AI-RAN will leverage billions of data points to create algorithms that determine optimal network adjustments and predict real-time capacity. It will allow telcos the ability to run third-party AI applications at the network’s edge.
The technology will also enable operators to offer AI-as-a-Service (AIaaS) to enterprise customers, which will be especially relevant in sectors like robotics, autonomous driving and spatial computing.
A report from Mobile Experts recently predicted that the rise of AI applications — particularly AI-powered assistants and augmented reality (AR) platforms — will soon drive mobile data traffic beyond the capacity of current 5G networks.
That’s a big problem since traditional networks were built for voice and data. But today’s world requires much more. Think autonomous vehicles, smart factories and generative AI applications.
By bringing AI into the heart of network operations, Nvidia is hoping to help telcos manage their growing network loads while also setting the stage for the next leap forward — 6G. The idea is that AI-RAN can act as the digital backbone for these emerging technologies. A cohort of companies — including Nvidia, T-Mobile, Nokia and Ericsson — are pursuing this opportunity via the AI-RAN Alliance.
“The main challenge with AI-driven applications is the sheer volume of data being generated and transmitted,” Doug Wadkins, VP of product management and strategy at Opengear, recently told Fierce Network. “Network optimization will become increasingly important, as machine learning algorithms dynamically adjust network configurations to enhance performance and manage resources efficiently.”
