Indosat, Nokia & NVIDIA launch AI-RAN research centre in Indonesia
Indosat, Nokia, and NVIDIA have opened a research centre in Surabaya, Indonesia, dedicated to the development of artificial intelligence-driven Radio Access Networks (AI-RAN). This collaboration is designed to support the creation of AI-enhanced telecommunications networks, combining capabilities from the three organisations to advance Indonesia's digital infrastructure.
AI Grid plan
The centre is intended to establish an 'AI Grid' across Indonesia. This grid will connect Indosat's central AI Factory to new AI-RAN hubs throughout the country, supporting deployment of AI applications from central data centres to distributed 5G networks. This infrastructure aims to make AI technologies more widely accessible to the population.
The research centre will use Nokia's RAN platform, NVIDIA's accelerated computing, and Indosat's commercial mobile network. It will serve as the first Nokia-NVIDIA AI-RAN research site in Asia, supporting Indonesia's national strategy for digital transformation and the development of local expertise in AI.
Technical objectives
The new infrastructure supports high-performance, software-defined radio access and a range of AI applications. It will integrate with Indosat's existing NVIDIA-powered AI infrastructure, forming a distributed computing platform intended to improve user experiences. According to the partners, the platform is designed to facilitate the commercial rollout of AI-RAN using technology such as NVIDIA ARC-Pro and Nokia's CUDA-accelerated anyRAN software.
Core research activities will focus on using machine learning to optimise wireless network performance, improve energy efficiency, and develop AI-powered radio signal processing. These aims are expected to support scalable 5G deployment and new economic opportunities.
Sector applications
With the foundation established by the centre, Indosat, Nokia, and NVIDIA plan to support AI-powered applications in sectors including education, agriculture, and healthcare. They believe blended connectivity and computing can transform business operations and service delivery for Indonesian users nationwide.
"As Indonesia accelerates its digital transformation, the AI-RAN Research Centre reflects Indosat's larger purpose of empowering Indonesia. When connectivity meets compute, it creates intelligence-delivered at the edge, in a sovereign manner. This is how AI unlocks real impact, from personalized tutors for children in rural areas to precision farming powered by drones. Together with Nokia and NVIDIA, we're building the foundation for AI-driven growth that strengthens Indonesia's digital future." said Vikram Sinha, President Director and CEO, Indosat Ooredoo Hutchison
Talent development
Beyond technical work, the centre aims to foster future AI and telecommunications professionals. Structured programmes will provide hands-on experience, mentorship, and collaborative learning with input from local and global experts. According to the companies, this approach is intended to help transfer knowledge, accelerate innovation, and enhance the digital skills base that Indonesia is seeking for future economic growth.
"The inauguration of the AI-RAN Research Centre marks a concrete step in strengthening Indonesia's digital sovereignty. The collaboration between the government, industry, and global partners such as Indosat, Nokia, and NVIDIA demonstrates that Indonesia is not merely a user but also a creator of AI technology. This initiative supports the acceleration of the Indonesia Emas 2045 vision by building an inclusive, secure, and globally competitive AI ecosystem," said Nezar Patria, Vice Minister of Communication and Digital Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia.
Industry perspective
The partners view the new AI grid as an opportunity to expand the role of telecom networks in distributing AI capabilities at national scale. They argue that integrating AI into network architecture can further improve performance, efficiency, and application range for enterprises and consumers alike.
"The AI Grid is the biggest opportunity for telecom providers to make AI as ubiquitous as connectivity and distribute intelligence at scale by tapping into their nationwide wireless networks. The new NVIDIA and Nokia-powered AI-RAN infrastructure used in the AI-RAN Research Centre unlocks new AI-powered innovations for Indonesian consumers and enterprises, while fundamentally re-architecting wireless networks to deliver greater performance and efficiency for the AI era," said Ronnie Vasishta, Senior Vice President of Telecom at NVIDIA.
"This initiative represents a major milestone in our journey toward the future of AI-native networks by bringing AI-powered intelligence into the hands of every Indonesian. By combining Nokia's leading RAN technology with NVIDIA's accelerated computing and Indosat's operational expertise, we are demonstrating how AI can fundamentally transform the performance and intelligence of telecom networks as well as building solid foundations for Indonesia's digital future," said Pallavi Mahajan, Chief Technology and AI Officer, Nokia.
