Japanese telecom giant SoftBank is joining US-based chipmaker Nvidia in an alliance to use artificial intelligence to improve wireless services.
The aim is to develop technology that can process data at cell phone transmission towers without having to rely on data centers.
The group will be called the AI-RAN Alliance and includes dominant mobile transmission equipment suppliers Ericsson of Sweden and Finland's Nokia. RAN stands for radio access network and is a crucial component of cell phone communications.
Sources say decentralization of data processing will allow higher-level AI services to be offered on mobile phones.
They say the technology will also automate the operation of base-station networks. Allowing base stations to automatically adapt to changes in the volume of data can help networks avoid delays.
SoftBank operates about 200,000 mobile-phone base stations around Japan. The new technology is drawing attention as a new way of using the stations.
