Latest news with #AI-RAN
Barnama
3 days ago
- Business
- Barnama
Cloudera Joins AI-RAN Alliance To Drive Real-Time Data Innovation And AI-Native Telecommunications
SANTA CLARA, Calif., June 6 (Bernama) -- Cloudera, the only true hybrid platform for data, analytics and AI, today announced it has joined the AI-RAN Alliance, a global consortium committed to integrating AI into telecommunications infrastructure. Cloudera joins a pioneering group of innovative telecommunication providers that has joined forces with data and AI companies all focused on driving the AI-RAN agenda and transforming telecommunication networks into intelligent, revenue-generating platforms with real-time data and AI. As telecommunication providers race to optimize the cost of network operations through virtualization and next generation infrastructure and architectures, AI provides a unique opportunity. AI drives better business outcomes through network service efficiency while at the same time opening up significant opportunities for services innovation. The complexity of deploying AI across distributed edge environments is not trivial and telecommunication providers will have to drive strategic enterprise-wide efforts to operationalize AI at scale across the radio access network (RAN) to unlock its full commercial potential.
Techday NZ
21-04-2025
- Business
- Techday NZ
Exclusive: Abhas Ricky on how Cloudera is powering the AI revolution
Artificial intelligence is moving out of the lab and into the engine rooms of business, according to Cloudera's Chief Strategy Officer, Abhas Ricky. Despite last month's NVIDIA GTC conference already in the rear-view mirror, he believes the momentum behind AI technologies and infrastructure "continues to evolve". "The NVIDIA GTC conference was packed with exciting announcements and insights," Ricky told TechDay during a recent interview. He said the number one thing that stood out to him was "how AI is transitioning from experimentation to enterprise-scale execution - and fast." For Cloudera, another key highlight was NVIDIA's AI Agents Blueprint – a framework that Ricky believes will help businesses integrate intelligent agents into everyday operations. "This blueprint provides a structured approach to building and deploying AI agents that can automate complex tasks, enhance decision-making, and improve operational efficiency," he explained. Cloudera sees agentic AI – systems that can act autonomously based on data and models – as a cornerstone of future enterprise tech. "By integrating such AI agents into Cloudera's platform, businesses can automate workflows, improve customer service, and orchestrate complex processes more effectively," Ricky said. Equally significant, he explained, was the return of focus to on-premises AI infrastructure. "Nearly every enterprise is reevaluating how to bring AI closer to their data," Ricky said. He noted that governance, performance, cost, and data sovereignty are the main drivers. Ricky also pointed to a recent Barclays survey which found 83% of enterprise CIOs plan to repatriate at least some workloads from the cloud to on-premises environments. In response, Cloudera is doubling down on its hybrid strategy. Its new offering, 'AI in a Box', is designed to give enterprises flexibility and control. "We're making it easier to build AI applications and AI agents from edge to AI using our partner ecosystem," Ricky said. "As an NVIDIA partner supporting our AI Inference Service, we believe we're uniquely positioned to help enterprises turn on-prem AI into a lasting competitive advantage." Cloudera is also optimistic about how these AI innovations will play out across sectors like healthcare, telco, finance, public services and retail. "These technologies are set to revolutionise diagnostics, efficiency, security and customer experience," he added. One striking example Ricky highlighted is NVIDIA's partnership with telco players to develop AI-RAN – an AI-powered approach to optimising radio access networks. "It enables AI applications to run on the RAN infrastructure itself, delivering new revenue streams and improving network performance," he said. "To unlock these outcomes, organisations need robust data flow governance and orchestration from edge to cloud – something Cloudera is ready to provide." But while opportunities are vast, Ricky is also clear about the challenges enterprises face when adopting agentic AI. "Security and compliance are critical," he said. "One of the biggest hurdles is ensuring proprietary data remains within the organisation's control. Our Private AI approach keeps all training data, configurations and models inside the security perimeter." Cloudera's solutions are built to meet regulatory frameworks like GDPR and HIPAA, Ricky added, ensuring businesses stay compliant while pushing the boundaries of AI innovation. Then there's infrastructure. "AI agents come with high computational demands," he noted. "Our unified data and AI lifecycle helps eliminate delays and keeps models current. Our hybrid platform allows AI workloads to run on any cloud or data centre, offering the flexibility needed for enterprise-scale deployments." Cloudera's response to these trends is rooted in its end-to-end platform, which enables inference at scale, low-code development through its AI Studios, and seamless integration of NVIDIA's accelerated computing technology. Ricky said users can deploy AI agents in under ten minutes, thanks to unified tools that span ingestion, transformation, model deployment and visualisation. Importantly, Cloudera's AI Inference service offers secure, production-grade deployment capabilities. "Powered by the full-stack NVIDIA accelerated computing platform, it ensures scalable, optimised and secure model deployments powering real-time AI," Ricky said. "Organisations can experience 36 times faster inference on NVIDIA GPUs." Among those seeing results already is Bank Negara Indonesia (BNI), which is using Cloudera's AI Inference within its own virtual private cloud. "BNI can now rapidly scale GenAI operations while maintaining full control over its data," Ricky said. "It's a major step forward in transforming customer service and operational efficiency." Cloudera's strategic direction is anchored in three core pillars: delivering true hybrid cloud capabilities, enabling modern data architectures, and accelerating private enterprise AI. Ricky believes these are the keys to helping organisations turn their data into competitive advantage. "With an open data lakehouse powered by Apache Iceberg, there's no need to copy or move data," he explained. "Our unified data fabric provides consistent security, governance and observability – all essential foundations for successful AI initiatives." Strategic partnerships are central to this vision. Cloudera's collaboration with NVIDIA is just one example, alongside alliances with AWS, Pinecone, Google Cloud, CrewAI and Anthropic. Together, these partners form Cloudera's Enterprise AI Ecosystem – launched last year and expanded in 2024. "We created this ecosystem because we recognise that AI is a team sport," Ricky said. "Joint solution architectures and project accelerators make AI adoption easier, more economical, and safer." More than 20 AI project accelerators have already been deployed over 1,000 times in the past year. One notable success came from a contract procurement use case in a large oil and gas company, which saved around $2 million annually by reducing research time from weeks to days. Beyond AI, Cloudera is also focused on breaking down data silos through its interoperability initiatives. Ricky pointed to Cloudera's REST-Catalog, which enables seamless querying of data across platforms like Snowflake and AWS – reducing data movement costs by as much as 75%. System integrators also play a crucial role in extending Cloudera's reach. "Kolon Benit, for example, has led digital transformations for manufacturing and financial services clients in Korea," Ricky said. Asked how Cloudera plans to keep pushing forward, Ricky was unequivocal. "At Cloudera, we're all about driving business value through innovation," he said. "To truly capture the AI opportunity, organisations need flexibility, privacy, and the right tools. That's what we're building."
Broadcast Pro
25-03-2025
- Business
- Broadcast Pro
Nokia and Zain KSA launch Saudi Arabia's first live Cloud RAN site
The live Cloud RAN site showcases cloud-native efficiency, cost savings and faster market entry for CSPs and enterprises. Nokia and Zain KSA have announced the completion of Saudi Arabias first live Cloud RAN site, a milestone that positions the Kingdom at the forefront of 5G innovation. This trial, which began on December 24, 2024, and concluded on January 26, 2025, leverages Nokias 5G anyRAN (Cloud RAN) solution. The site achieved peak download speeds of 1.5 Gbps when connected to Zain KSAs 5G core network. The live Cloud RAN site demonstrates how cloud-native architectures can boost efficiency, reduce total cost of ownership and accelerate time to market key factors for Communications Service Providers (CSPs) and enterprise customers looking to evolve their networks. Saudi Arabia continues to invest in cutting-edge technologies under its national digital transformation goals. This successful Cloud RAN trial provides a flexible platform that can readily integrate solutions from multiple providers, fostering a multi-vendor ecosystem to meet fast-evolving customer demands. It also supports emerging use cases for enterprise and private-wireless applications, accelerating digital transformation across various industry verticals. Eng. Mohammed AlNujaidi, Chief Technology Officer at Zain KSA, said: 'At Zain KSA, we strive to deliver transformative digital experiences that empower our customers to thrive in a fast-evolving market. Partnering with Nokia on the Kingdoms first live Cloud RAN site allows us to explore new service models, reduce ongoing network costs, and respond more quickly to our enterprise and individual consumer demands. The increased network agility will support a wide array of new use cases, underscoring our role in driving Saudi Arabias digital transformation.' Mohammad AlTayeh, Customer Team Head for Zain Group and Zain KSA at Nokia mobile networks, added: 'This successful deployment of the Kingdoms first live Cloud RAN site is a testament to Nokias dedication to delivering next-generation networking solutions. By introducing a fully cloud-native approach, we not only match the performance of purpose-built RAN but also create a future-ready platform that supports AI-RAN, Open RAN, and even potential 6G innovations. Our collaboration with Zain KSA showcases how cloudification can optimize resources, reduce total cost of ownership, and pave the way for new growth opportunities across multiple sectors in the Kingdom.' By delivering full feature parity with purpose-built solutions, Nokias Cloud RAN approach ensures no compromise on performance. The success of this trial also lays a strong foundation for future innovations, including AI-RAN, Open RAN, and potential 6G networks.
Arab News
25-03-2025
- Business
- Arab News
5G advanced in Saudi Arabia with launch of first live Cloud RAN site
JEDDAH: The Saudi telecom sector is set to advance with the launch of its first live Cloud Radio Access Network site, marking a significant step in the Kingdom's 5G innovation. Finnish technology company Nokia and Zain KSA announced on March 25 the completion of the site, which achieved peak download speeds of 1.5 gigabits per second when connected to the telecom company's 5G core network. The trial commenced on Dec. 24 and concluded on Jan. 26, according to a statement. As part of its national digital transformation strategy, Saudi Arabia is investing in advanced technologies, with the successful Cloud RAN trial highlighting the potential of a flexible, multi-vendor ecosystem to meet evolving customer demands and support emerging enterprise applications. This innovation, along with Vision 2030 initiatives, is expected to drive the value of the 5G sector in the Kingdom to $13.41 billion by 2029, up from $2.1 billion in 2023, according to TechSci Research. Mohammed Al-Nujaidi, chief technology officer at Zain KSA, said the company strives to deliver transformative digital experiences that empower its customers to thrive in a fast-evolving market. 'Partnering with Nokia on the Kingdom's first live Cloud RAN site allows us to explore new service models, reduce ongoing network costs, and respond more quickly to our enterprise and individual consumer demands,' he said. The CTO added: 'Increased network agility will support a wide array of new use cases, underscoring our role in driving Saudi Arabia's digital transformation.' Mohammad Al-Tayeh, customer team head for Zain Group and Zain KSA at Nokia mobile networks, said that the deployment of the Kingdom's first live Cloud RAN site is a testament to Nokia's dedication to delivering next-generation networking solutions. 'By introducing a fully cloud-native approach, we not only match the performance of purpose-built RAN but also create a future-ready platform that supports AI-RAN, Open RAN, and even potential 6G innovations,' Al-Tayeh said. He further noted that the partnership with Zain KSA showcases how cloudification can enhance resource optimization, lower the total cost of ownership, and unlock new growth opportunities across various sectors in the Kingdom. This deployment highlights the potential of cloud-native architectures in enhancing network efficiency, reducing total cost of ownership, and accelerating time-to-market — key benefits for communications service providers and enterprise customers seeking to modernize their networks. Nokia's Cloud RAN approach ensures peak performance by delivering full feature parity with purpose-built solutions. The trial also lays a strong foundation for future innovations, including AI-RAN, Open RAN, and potential 6G networks. In January, Nokia announced it had partnered with Zain KSA to launch the first 4G/5G Femtocell solution in Saudi Arabia and the Middle East and Africa region, aimed at improving mobile coverage and optimizing connectivity for enterprise customers.
Zawya
25-03-2025
- Business
- Zawya
Nokia and Zain KSA drive 5G innovation with Saudi Arabia's first live cloud RAN site
Marks a major milestone in driving next-generation digital connectivity Riyadh, Saudi Arabia – Nokia and Zain KSA today announced the successful completion of Saudi Arabia's first live Cloud RAN site, a milestone that positions the Kingdom at the forefront of 5G innovation. This trial, which began on December 24, 2024 and concluded on January 26, 2025, leverages Nokia's 5G anyRAN (Cloud RAN) solution. The site achieved peak download speeds of 1.5 Gbps when connected to Zain KSA's 5G core network. The live Cloud RAN site demonstrates how cloud-native architectures can boost efficiency, reduce total cost of ownership, and accelerate time to market — key factors for Communications Service Providers (CSPs) and enterprise customers looking to evolve their networks. Saudi Arabia continues to invest in cutting-edge technologies under its national digital transformation goals. This successful Cloud RAN trial provides a flexible platform that can readily integrate solutions from multiple providers, fostering a multi-vendor ecosystem to meet fast-evolving customer demands. It also supports emerging use cases for enterprise and private-wireless applications, accelerating digital transformation across various industry verticals. Eng. Mohammed AlNujaidi, Chief Technology Officer at Zain KSA, said: 'At Zain KSA, we strive to deliver transformative digital experiences that empower our customers to thrive in a fast-evolving market. Partnering with Nokia on the Kingdom's first live Cloud RAN site allows us to explore new service models, reduce ongoing network costs, and respond more quickly to our enterprise and individual consumer demands. The increased network agility will support a wide array of new use cases, underscoring our role in driving Saudi Arabia's digital transformation.' Mohammad AlTayeh, Customer Team Head for Zain Group and Zain KSA at Nokia mobile networks, said: 'This successful deployment of the Kingdom's first live Cloud RAN site is a testament to Nokia's dedication to delivering next-generation networking solutions. By introducing a fully cloud-native approach, we not only match the performance of purpose-built RAN but also create a future-ready platform that supports AI-RAN, Open RAN, and even potential 6G innovations. Our collaboration with Zain KSA showcases how cloudification can optimize resources, reduce total cost of ownership, and pave the way for new growth opportunities across multiple sectors in the Kingdom.' By delivering full feature parity with purpose-built solutions, Nokia's Cloud RAN approach ensures no compromise on performance. The success of this trial also lays a strong foundation for future innovations, including AI-RAN, Open RAN, and potential 6G networks. About Nokia At Nokia, we create technology that helps the world act together. As a B2B technology innovation leader, we are pioneering networks that sense, think and act by leveraging our work across mobile, fixed and cloud networks. In addition, we create value with intellectual property and long-term research, led by the award-winning Nokia Bell Labs, which is celebrating 100 years of innovation. With truly open architectures that seamlessly integrate into any ecosystem, our high-performance networks create new opportunities for monetization and scale. Service providers, enterprises and partners worldwide trust Nokia to deliver secure, reliable and sustainable networks today – and work with us to create the digital services and applications of the future. Media Inquiries Nokia Communications, Corporate Email: Follow us on social media LinkedIn X Instagram Facebook YouTube
