Chipmaker Nvidia and SoftBank Corp have launched a pilot for the world’s first telecom network that combines artificial intelligence (AI) and 5G technology. Announced on Wednesday, this collaboration pioneers a system known as the Artificial Intelligence Radio Access Network (AI-RAN), capable of running AI and 5G workloads at the same time.
The pilot AI-RAN network aims to support applications such as autonomous vehicle remote assistance and robotics control, showcasing potential uses for industries reliant on AI and real-time connectivity.
Speaking at an AI event, SoftBank Group CEO Masayoshi Son remarked that the development signals a trend for other telecom companies, suggesting that this network model will set a new standard in the industry. Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang also confirmed that SoftBank is the first to receive Nvidia’s Blackwell chip designs, which are central to the AI supercomputer that SoftBank is building to develop its own generative AI model.
