Nokia, Ericsson, Intel Accelerate AI-Native 6G
The race to AI-native 6G is heating up, with Nokia accelerating its AI-RAN momentum through new partnerships. Meanwhile, Ericsson and Intel are collaborating to make the technology commercially ready, expanding the AI infrastructure battleground into telecom and edge computing.
The shift to AI-native 6G represents a fundamental architectural change, moving from networks where AI is an add-on to systems where intelligence is embedded in every layer. This means the network itself will self-configure, self-heal, and self-optimize in real time, a necessity for managing the complexity of terahertz-level speeds and massive machine-to-machine communication. The goal is to create a distributed computation and communications fabric, treating intelligence as a utility. This transition ignites a new competitive front in silicon. Nokia is strategically aligning with Nvidia, moving away from custom silicon to leverage a distributed GPU system for its AI-RAN platform. In contrast, Ericsson is collaborating with Intel to develop AI-native RAN equipment, focusing on high-performance, energy-efficient compute architectures that utilize future Ericsson Silicon powered by Intel's advanced process nodes. This build-versus-buy scenario extends to other players like Broadcom, which is developing custom 2nm SoCs for AI clusters and 6G infrastructure. The AI-native approach is structured in three stages: "AI for the Network" to optimize operations, "Network for AI" to empower applications like digital twins, and "AI as a Service" (AIaaS) to deliver new services like holographic interactions and robotic surgery. This requires tight integration of AI across the entire protocol stack, from the physical layer to service orchestration, a departure from 5G where AI is used for more isolated tasks like traffic prediction. While commercial 6G deployment is anticipated around 2030, the standardization process is already in motion. 3GPP, the global telecom standards body, began requirement work in 2024 and plans to start developing the technology in mid-2025, with the first specifications expected by the end of 2028. Early pre-standard trials are already underway; Ericsson recently demonstrated AI-powered robotics and real-time video streaming in a live 6G trial in the U.S. using spectrum in the 7GHz range.
