Nokia and AWS trial agentic AI network slicing with Orange and du

• Intent-based solution uses agentic AI to analyse network data to boost performance
• Nokia is providing network slicing built on Amazon Bedrock AI
• Orange and du are the first operators to sign up to trial on live network

Amazon Web Services (AWS) and Nokia have teamed up to run trials of what they claim is the first agentic AI solution for 5G network slicing. 

The new technology – which is initially being tested with UAE operator du and Orange – will integrate Nokia’s network slicing capabilities with AWS’s agentic AI tools, helping the operators deliver premium services to enterprises.

The intent-based solution uses agentic AI to analyse real-world data, including locations, events, traffic, incidents and maps, allowing telecom operators to deliver adaptive network slicing.

The benefits are two-fold, according to Nokia. Firstly, it allows its operator partners to develop premium services to tackle diverse applications and use cases by responding intelligently to dynamic conditions – essentially, improving network performance when and where customers need it.

The solution also aims to help telcos that are facing challenges in optimising their networks during traffic surges or emergencies, which can often lead to a dip in performance or quality.

Pallavi Mahajan, Nokia’s chief technology and AI officer, said: “This innovation marks a major milestone in the evolution of AI-native networks. By combining Nokia’s advanced network slicing capabilities with agentic AI, we are enabling operators to deliver premium, intent-based services that adapt dynamically to real-world conditions. Nokia is advancing connectivity by unlocking new value streams for telecommunication providers and supporting next-generation applications and differentiated services for enterprises, industries and consumers.”

The solution is built using Nokia’s Edge Slicing solution and Amazon Bedrock (managed access to multiple large language models), which enables intelligent network optimisation by providing the infrastructure to build specialised AI agents. The agents can assess historical RAN data in context to optimise the RAN, core and transport layers of the mobile network.

Orange and du are the first two operators to trial the technology on their live networks. Atoosa Hatefi, director of innovation in radio and environment at Orange, noted that “this experimentation demonstrates how AI can transform network operations. With intent-based slicing, we can anticipate customer needs and deliver tailored services that meet the demands of diverse use cases, from mission-critical to immersive entertainment.” 

Orange is already working with Ericsson to automate the creation of advanced 5G services for enterprises and subscribers across its European affiliates following a trial in Belgium.

Saleem Alblooshi, CTO at du, stated: “We are excited to be among the first to pilot this groundbreaking solution on a live network. Agentic AI-powered slicing will allow us to deliver highly responsive, premium services to our customers, whether for critical enterprise applications or enhanced consumer experiences.”

Highlighting why the hyperscaler and its telecom vendor partner Nokia believe their collaboration is breaking new ground, Amir Rao, global director for GTM and telco solutions at AWS, stated: “Network slicing has long promised to unlock new revenue streams for operators, but manual configuration and static policies have prevented end customers from accessing on-demand provisioning.

“By integrating agentic AI capabilities through Amazon Bedrock with Nokia’s application, operators can now deliver intelligent, context-aware network slicing that responds dynamically to real-world conditions from traffic surges to emergency situations. This transforms network slicing from a technical capability into a true business enabler, allowing operators to monetise their 5G investments through differentiated, premium services that adapt automatically to customer needs,” he added.

- James Pearce, Editor, TelecomTV