AI-RAN collaboration set to advance mobile networks

NVIDIA is partnering with T-Mobile, Ericsson, and Nokia to design and drive the future of mobile networks through AI-RAN.

The collaboration centres around the newly launched NVIDIA AI Aerial platform, a suite of accelerated computing software and hardware designed to optimise wireless networks and cater to the needs of generative AI across various sectors, including mobile devices, robotics, autonomous vehicles, and smart factories.

Key components of the NVIDIA AI Aerial platform include:

• NVIDIA Aerial CUDA-accelerated RAN: Software libraries enabling partners to develop and deploy high-performance virtualised RAN workloads on NVIDIA-accelerated compute platforms.
• NVIDIA Aerial AI Radio Frameworks: PyTorch- and TensorFlow-based software libraries for developing and training models to improve spectral efficiency and add new capabilities to 5G and 6G radio signal processing. This includes Sionna, a link-level simulator that provides development and training of neural network-based 5G and 6G radio algorithms.
• NVIDIA Aerial Omniverse Digital Twin (AODT): A system-level network digital twin development platform enabling physically accurate simulations of wireless systems, from single base stations to comprehensive networks covering entire cities.

At the heart of the initiative is the establishment of an industry-first AI-RAN Innovation Center based in Bellevue, Washington. This centre will focus on bringing RAN and AI innovation closer together to deliver enhanced network experiences for customers through the development of AI-RAN.

Mike Sievert, CEO of T-Mobile, said: “Just like T-Mobile led in 5G, we intend to lead in the next wave of network technology, for the benefit of our customers. AI-RAN at T-Mobile will be all about unlocking the massive capacity and performance that customers increasingly demand from mobile networks.”

The NVIDIA AI Aerial platform introduces AI radio access network technology (AI-RAN) for wireless networks in the AI era. The solution is set to become a critical foundation for network optimisation at scale, potentially leading to significant savings in total cost of ownership for telecom operators whilst opening up new revenue streams for both enterprise and consumer services.

Jensen Huang, Founder and CEO of NVIDIA, commented: “AI will reinvent the wireless communication network and industry—going beyond voice, data, and video to support a wide range of new applications like generative AI and robotics. NVIDIA AI Aerial is a platform that unifies communications, computing, and AI.”

One of the most notable features of NVIDIA AI Aerial is its distinction as the first AI-RAN platform capable of hosting both generative AI and RAN traffic, whilst integrating AI into network optimisation. This multipurpose approach offers high-performance, energy-efficient software-defined RAN, improved network experiences, and new revenue opportunities through edge AI applications.

Börje Ekholm, President and CEO of Ericsson, said: “Ericsson is excited to contribute to the ‘Joint AI-RAN Innovation Center’, which is set to drive standardisation, industry alignment, and accelerate the adoption of AI-RAN technologies. This paves the way for potentially limitless innovations in network performance, reliability, and efficiency.”

The collaboration aims to dramatically improve customers’ real-world network experiences and meet the growing demand for increased speeds, reduced latency, and increased reliability needed for the latest gaming, video, social media, and augmented reality applications. AI-RAN will leverage billions of data points to devise algorithms that determine optimal network adjustments for maximum performance and predict real-time capacity where customers need it.

Pekka Lundmark, President and CEO of Nokia, explained: “AI is a game-changer for every industry, but particularly in telecoms where it will revolutionise networks and enable a variety of new applications.

“We look forward to collaborating on new AI-RAN innovations to transform network security, performance, and efficiency with the aim of yielding savings in network operations and increasing monetisation opportunities for operators.”

The AI-RAN Innovation Center will further accelerate the mission of the AI-RAN Alliance, which was announced in February 2024 at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. The alliance aims to enhance mobile network efficiency, reduce power consumption, and retrofit existing infrastructure to unlock new economic opportunities for telecoms companies with AI—facilitated by 5G and setting the stage for global leadership on 6G.

The collaboration between NVIDIA, T-Mobile, Ericsson, and Nokia could play a pivotal role in shaping the future of wireless networks and unlock new possibilities for AI-driven services across sectors.

(Photo by Alina Grubnyak)

See also: AI era dawns for data centres with Nokia’s EDA platform

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Tags: ai, ai-ran, artificial intelligence, connectivity, ericsson, framework, mobile, network, nokia, nvidia, RAN, t-mobile, telecoms