Nokia Bets on Hardware for AI-RAN, Not Just Software

TL;DR

• Nokia launched Doksuri Remote Radio Heads at MWC 2026, embedding next-gen System-on-Chip into AirScale radios for AI-RAN strategies.
• The hardware brings intelligence directly into radio equipment, targeting energy efficiency and capacity for AI-driven 5G traffic surges.
• Nokia also unveiled a new SMO Marketplace and will demo Habrok Massive MIMO products alongside Doksuri.
• Huawei‘s concurrent AI-Native O&M solution at MWC poses a direct threat in the race for intelligent network automation.

Nokia Bets on Silicon to Win the AI-RAN Race

Nokia expanded its AirScale portfolio at Mobile World Congress 2026 with Doksuri Remote Radio Heads, a new generation of radios built around next-generation System-on-Chip architecture. The launch targets operators scrambling to handle AI-driven network traffic without torching their energy budgets. Doksuri radios embed intelligence directly into hardware — a departure from the software-first approach many vendors have chased.

The company also rolled out a new Marketplace for Service Management and Orchestration, aiming to simplify how operators deploy AI-RAN capabilities. Nokia plans to demonstrate its Habrok Massive MIMO products at the event, building on the foundation those earlier radios established. The timing isn’t accidental — network operators face mounting pressure to support AI applications that demand both higher capacity and lower latency.

According to Nokia, the Doksuri radios deliver superior energy efficiency and simplified deployment compared to previous generations. The company framed the launch as a response to rising network demands from AI applications, positioning the hardware as infrastructure purpose-built for autonomous network strategies. A Nokia spokesperson said artificial intelligence can have a definite and concrete impact when applied to Radio Access Networks, and this kind of radio innovation allows the radio hardware to support future enhancements to capacity and reliability performance in the network.

Why Embedding AI into Radio Hardware Changes the Game

Here’s the thing about AI-RAN: everyone talks about intelligent networks, but most solutions layer software on top of dumb hardware. Nokia’s taking a different bet. By baking intelligence into the silicon itself — the System-on-Chip powering each radio head — Doksuri units can make decisions locally without constant back-and-forth with centralized controllers. That cuts latency and reduces the processing burden on core networks.

Think of it like the difference between a remote-controlled drone and one with onboard autopilot. The remote-controlled version works fine until the connection lags. The autopilot version handles turbulence on its own. Nokia’s wagering that as AI workloads flood 5G networks, operators will need radios that don’t wait for instructions from headquarters.

The energy efficiency angle matters more than it sounds. Telecom operators reportedly spend billions annually on electricity, and AI applications are notoriously power-hungry. If Doksuri radios genuinely slash energy consumption while boosting capacity, that’s not just a sustainability win — it’s a direct hit to operating costs. And operators care about OpEx more than almost anything else.

But there’s a broader implication here. Nokia’s pushing hardware as the foundation for AI-RAN strategies, which means they’re betting operators will replace existing radio infrastructure faster than they’d planned. That’s a risky play. Network upgrades are expensive, and operators move slowly. If the performance gains don’t justify ripping out radios that still work, Doksuri becomes a solution waiting for a problem that arrives in 2028 instead of 2026.

I’m skeptical that operators will rush to deploy this tech unless Nokia can show dramatic cost savings or unlock revenue streams they can’t access with current gear. The AI-RAN vision is compelling, but telecom procurement cycles are glacial. Nokia needs early wins — flagship deployments with tier-one operators — to build momentum. Without them, Doksuri risks becoming vaporware with a fancy name.

The SMO Marketplace launch alongside Doksuri signals Nokia understands that hardware alone won’t close deals. Operators want ecosystems, not isolated products. By creating a marketplace for orchestration tools, Nokia’s building a platform play — a way to lock customers into a broader Nokia-centric infrastructure stack. Smart, but also risky if third-party vendors balk at participating in a marketplace controlled by a competitor.

Huawei’s AI-Native Push Raises the Stakes

Nokia isn’t operating in a vacuum. Huawei’s showcasing its AI-Native O&M solution at the same MWC event, targeting the exact same pain point: intelligent network automation. The difference? Huawei’s focusing on operations and maintenance — the software layer that manages networks — while Nokia’s attacking from the hardware side.

Who wins that fight depends on what operators value more: smarter radios or smarter management systems. My guess? They’ll want both, which means Nokia and Huawei are fighting over different pieces of the same budget. The real question is whether operators see these as complementary or competing investments.

Huawei’s geopolitical baggage complicates the picture. In markets where Huawei faces restrictions, Nokia has a clear opening. But in regions where Huawei operates freely, Nokia needs a technical edge sharp enough to overcome Huawei’s aggressive pricing and established relationships. Doksuri’s silicon advantage might be that edge — or it might just be table stakes in a market where everyone’s racing toward AI-RAN.

The competitive dynamic also extends to Ericsson, Samsung, and a growing list of Open RAN vendors promising disaggregated, software-defined networks. Nokia’s doubling down on integrated hardware at a moment when parts of the industry are moving toward open, interoperable components. That’s either visionary or stubborn, depending on how the next two years play out.

AirScale’s Evolution Toward Autonomous Networks

Nokia’s AirScale portfolio has been the company’s flagship radio platform for years, evolving through successive generations to meet shifting network demands. The earlier Habrok Massive MIMO products laid the groundwork for Doksuri’s leap into AI-RAN readiness, establishing Nokia’s credibility in high-capacity radio deployments. Doksuri represents the next step in that evolution — radios designed not just for today’s traffic, but for the autonomous network architectures operators keep promising.

The AI-RAN concept hinges on networks that can optimize themselves in real time, shifting resources dynamically based on demand, interference, and application requirements. That requires radios capable of far more than dumb signal transmission. They need processing power, decision-making logic, and tight integration with orchestration layers. Nokia’s betting Doksuri delivers all three.

Sustainability pressures are accelerating this shift. Regulators and investors are pushing telecom operators to slash carbon emissions, and energy-efficient radios offer one of the few paths to meaningful reductions. If Doksuri radios genuinely cut power consumption while boosting performance, they become a climate strategy as much as a technology upgrade. That dual benefit could unlock funding from green investment pools that wouldn’t otherwise touch telecom infrastructure.

The SMO Marketplace ties into this broader vision. Autonomous networks need orchestration platforms that can coordinate thousands of radios, allocate spectrum dynamically, and predict failures before they happen. By creating a marketplace for SMO tools, Nokia’s acknowledging that no single vendor will build every piece of that puzzle. The question is whether competitors will trust Nokia to run the platform.

What Operators Need to Watch as AI-RAN Rolls Out

The first thing to monitor is whether Nokia lands flagship deployments with tier-one operators in the next six months. Doksuri needs reference customers — big names willing to bet real money on the technology. Without them, the launch risks fading into the noise of MWC announcements that never materialize into revenue.

Second, watch how Huawei’s AI-Native O&M solution performs in head-to-head comparisons. If Huawei’s software-first approach delivers comparable results at lower cost, Nokia’s hardware bet looks expensive. If Doksuri’s silicon advantage proves decisive, Nokia could pull ahead in markets where performance trumps price. The next year will clarify which approach operators prefer.

Third, keep an eye on Open RAN momentum. If disaggregated networks gain traction faster than expected, Nokia’s integrated hardware strategy could age poorly. But if Open RAN stumbles — and there are signs it might, given interoperability headaches and performance gaps — Nokia’s bet on tightly integrated, AI-ready radios starts looking prescient. The industry’s still figuring out which architecture wins, and Doksuri’s success hinges partly on that broader battle.