NVIDIA Invests $1B in Nokia to Accelerate AI-RAN and 6G Transition

The Facts -

NVIDIA's Ambitious $1 Billion Investment in Nokia to Propel AI-RAN and 6G Developments

In a significant move to reshape the telecommunications landscape, NVIDIA has announced its strategic partnership with Nokia, which includes an impressive $1 billion investment to power advancements in AI-RAN and prepare for the shift from 5G to 6G. This collaboration aims to innovate next-generation AI-driven mobile networks, promising revolutionary changes in how connectivity and AI are integrated.

Strategic Partnership Details:

• NVIDIA and Nokia are joining forces to accelerate the development of AI-native mobile networks and AI networking infrastructure.
• NVIDIA introduces its 6G-ready telecommunications platform, the Aerial RAN Computer, designed for future network advancements.
• Nokia plans to enhance its global reach by integrating new AI-RAN products built on NVIDIA's platform.
• T-Mobile U.S. collaborates with Nokia and NVIDIA to incorporate AI-RAN technologies into its groundwork for 6G innovations.
• The partnership aims to enhance consumer experiences by facilitating new AI services and supporting the surge in mobile AI traffic.
• Dell Technologies supports the AI-RAN solution with its advanced PowerEdge servers.
• This alliance could revolutionize the telecommunications industry, setting a new standard for AI-native 6G on a global scale.

NVIDIA's investment in Nokia, at a subscription price of $6.01 per share, is contingent on standard closing conditions. This move signifies the dawn of an AI-native wireless era, setting a foundation for enhanced AI-powered consumer experiences and enterprise services.

The AI-RAN market is expected to grow substantially, with analyst firm Omdia projecting it to exceed $200 billion by 2030. With this partnership, NVIDIA and Nokia are laying the groundwork to explore this high-growth area by implementing distributed edge AI inferencing at scale.

T-Mobile U.S. will take part in this innovation by testing AI-RAN technologies as part of the 6G development process, with trials aimed at validating performance and efficiency improvements expected to commence in 2026.

The collaboration promises significant enhancements in network performance and efficiency, ensuring that devices employing generative, agentic, and physical AI applications experience seamless connectivity. It will also support 6G applications, such as integrated sensing and communications for AI-native devices like drones and augmented-reality glasses.

Jensen Huang, founder and CEO of NVIDIA, emphasized the transformative nature of the partnership, stating, "Telecommunications is a critical national infrastructure — the digital nervous system of our economy and security. Built on NVIDIA CUDA and AI, AI-RAN will revolutionize telecommunications — a generational platform shift that empowers the United States to regain global leadership in this vital infrastructure technology."

Justin Hotard, President and CEO of Nokia, also commented, "The next leap in telecom isn’t just from 5G to 6G — it’s a fundamental redesign of the network to deliver AI-powered connectivity, capable of processing intelligence from the data center all the way to the edge."

As AI traffic grows exponentially — with examples like ChatGPT's 800 million weekly users accessing via mobile devices — Nokia and NVIDIA's AI-RAN systems are positioned to enhance network efficiency and introduce new AI services. This infrastructure aims to support billions of new connections, meeting the demands of upcoming AI applications.

NVIDIA's Aerial RAN Computer Pro, a 6G-ready platform, will facilitate the transition from 5G to 6G via software upgrades, supporting both new installations and expansions of existing networks. This platform will be central to Nokia's efforts to evolve its RAN portfolio.

Dell Technologies, meanwhile, is contributing its PowerEdge servers to support Nokia's AI-RAN solutions, ensuring a smooth progression from 5G to 6G with scalable, high-performance infrastructure.

This partnership between Nokia and NVIDIA also extends to AI networking solutions, incorporating Nokia's SR Linux software with NVIDIA's Spectrum-X™ Ethernet platform, further exploring Nokia's optical technologies for future AI infrastructure architecture.

The collaboration underscores a significant shift towards AI-native networks, streamlining the path to 6G while ensuring robust performance and efficiency improvements, paving the way for the next generation of connectivity.

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