GPU and AI semiconductors vendor Nvidia has unveiled partnerships with several ICT industry players, including telecoms provider T-Mobile and networking giant Cisco, among other participants working on R&D for AI-native wireless networks for 6G.
According to Nvidia, in its envisioned IoT world, next-generation wireless networks must be integrated with AI to seamlessly connect hundreds of billions of phones, sensors, cameras, robots and autonomous vehicles.
Nvidia says AI-native wireless networks will provide enhanced services for billions of users and will offer groundbreaking performance and resource utilisation while creating new revenue streams for telcos.
“Next-generation wireless networks will be revolutionary, and we have an unprecedented opportunity to ensure AI is woven in from the start,” said Jensen Huang, founder and CEO of Nvidia.
“Working with leaders in the field, we’re building an AI-enhanced 6G network that achieves extreme spectral efficiency.”
Nvidia is collaborating with telco and research leaders to develop an AI-native wireless network stack based on the Nvidia AI Aerial platform, which provides software-defined RANs on the Nvidia accelerated computing platform.
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"Developers across the globe are building AI-RAN as a precursor to AI-native 6G wireless networks," says Nvidia in its announcement.
"AI-RAN is a technology that brings AI and RAN workloads together on one platform and embeds AI into radio signal processing."
Nvidia says AI will be fully embedded into the network stack’s software and hosted over a unified accelerated infrastructure, capable of running both network and AI workloads.
Under their agreement, T-Mobile and Nvidia will expand their previously announced AI-RAN Innovation Center collaboration to provide additional research-based concepts for AI-native 6G network capabilities.
“This is an exciting next step to the AI-RAN Innovation Center efforts we began last September at our Capital Markets Day in partnership with Nvidia,” said Mike Sievert, CEO of T-Mobile.
“Working with these additional industry leaders on research to natively integrate AI into the network as we begin the journey to 6G will enable the network performance, efficiency and scale to power the next generation of experiences that customers and businesses expect.”
MITRE, a not-for-profit research and development organisation, will contribute open, AI-driven services and applications, such as for agentic network orchestration and security, dynamic spectrum sharing and 6G-integrated sensing and communications.
“MITRE is working with Nvidia to help make AI-native 6G a reality,” said Mark Peters, president and CEO of MITRE.
“By integrating AI into 6G in the beginning, we can solve a wide range of problems, from enhancing service delivery to unlocking required spectrum availability to fuel wireless growth.
Through all of our collaborations with Nvidia, we look forward to creating impact in 6G, AI, simulation, transportation and more.”
Cisco will provide mobile core and network technologies and says it will tap into its existing service provider reach and expertise.
“With 6G on the horizon, it’s critical for the industry to work together to build AI-native networks for the future,” said Chuck Robbins, chair and CEO of Cisco.
“Cisco is at the forefront of developing secure infrastructure technology for AI, and we are proud to work with Nvidia and the broader ecosystem to create an AI-enhanced network that improves performance, reliability and security for our customers.”
Other partners in the collaboration include AI software developer ODC, and cybersecurity specialist Booz Allen, which will develop AI RAN algorithms and secure the AI-native 6G wireless platform.
“The future of wireless communications starts today, and it’s all about AI,” said Horacio Rozanski, chairman and CEO of Booz Allen.
“Booz Allen has the technologies to make AI-native 6G networks a reality and revolutionise secure communications for an entirely new generation of intelligent platforms and applications.”
