SoftBank and NVIDIA to Establish Industry Group for Practical AI Technology

Feb 14, 2024 | News On Japan

TOKYO - SoftBank, a leading mobile operator in Japan, and Nvidia, a major American semiconductor company, are poised to establish a new industry group aimed at commercializing technology that distributes AI processing using mobile phone base stations. Approximately 10 companies worldwide, including telecommunications giants Ericsson and Nokia, are set to participate, with the goal of standardizing the technology globally.

According to insiders, SoftBank and Nvidia are soon to establish the new industry group, aiming to harness mobile phone base stations to distribute AI processing. This decentralization would enable AI processing without the need for large-scale data centers, providing advanced AI services on smartphones. The new industry group will be named "AI-RAN Alliance," with the intention of standardizing the technology on a global scale, joined by about 10 companies from around the world, including major players like Ericsson and Nokia.

Moreover, by incorporating AI functions into base stations, the new technology could automate the control of multiple base stations, potentially resolving issues of connectivity difficulties caused by calls and data traffic concentrating on specific base stations. With approximately 200,000 base station sites nationwide, SoftBank's infrastructure alone highlights the significant potential for new applications of this technology.

Source: NHK

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