Indosat Ooredoo Hutchison (Indosat), Nokia, and NVIDIA, announced Wednesday the opening of a research center in Surabaya, Indonesia, designed to develop artificial intelligence (AI)-powered Radio Access Networks (RAN).
The trio said in a statement that the move, which is the first phase of a partnership aims to advance AI-integrated telecommunications networks, combining Nokia’s advanced RAN technologies with NVIDIA’s state-of-the-art accelerated computing platforms and Indosat’s industry-leading commercial network.
Bringing the theme ‘AI made by Indonesians for Indonesians,’ the research center marks the first Nokia–NVIDIA AI-RAN collaboration site in Asia and supports Indonesia’s ‘Golden Indonesia Vision 2045,’ which aims to drive digital transformation and homegrown AI talent creation.
The new AI-RAN infrastructure not only enables high-performance software-defined RAN and AI applications on the same infrastructure but will also seamlessly connect to Indosat’s existing NVIDIA-powered sovereign AI Factory, acting as a distributed computing platform to bring AI closer to the users for better experiences.
It will also unlock new economic opportunities from RAN investments.
The new environment will also focus on the development of AI-driven optimization of wireless networks to significantly improve network performance, energy efficiency, and scalability using AI/ML-powered radio signal processing techniques.
The platform supports AI and RAN workloads on NVIDIA Aerial RAN Computer 1 (ARC-1) and will lay the groundwork to move to commercial-grade AI-RAN deployment, leveraging the recently announced NVIDIA ARC-Pro and Nokia CUDA-accelerated anyRAN software, enabling more dynamic, adaptive, and intelligent mobile networks for Indosat’s customers.
Through the research center, Indosat, Nokia, and NVIDIA aim to establish an ‘AI Grid’ that will lay the foundation for making AI accessible to millions of Indonesians.
The AI grid connects Indosat’s central AI Factory with new AI-RAN hubs across the country capable of hosting AI applications anywhere from datacenters to the distributed 5G network.
The AI-RAN Research Center reinforces Indosat’s Aivolusi5G strategy, advancing its mission to deliver intelligent connectivity that empowers people and businesses across Indonesia.
By blending connectivity and computing, the partners aim to unlock AI-powered applications in sectors such as education, agriculture, and healthcare, transforming how Indonesians learn, work, and live.
Beyond technology, the AI-RAN Research Center represents a strategic investment in human capital.
It will nurture a new generation of AI and telecom specialists through hands-on learning, mentorship, and real-world experimentation.
By combining the expertise of Nokia, Indosat, and NVIDIA with Indonesia’s rapidly growing digital talent base, the initiative will accelerate knowledge transfer, innovation, and workforce readiness—supporting Indonesia’s ambition to become one of the world’s top five economies by 2045.
“The inauguration of the AI-RAN Research Center 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.
Vikram Sinha, President Director and Chief Executive Officer of Indosat Ooredoo Hutchison, said as Indonesia accelerates its digital transformation, the AI-RAN Research Center 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,” he added.
Ronnie Vasishta, Senior Vice President of Telecom at NVIDIA, said 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 Center 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,” he added.
Pallavi Mahajan, Chief Technology and AI Officer at Nokia, said this initiative represents a major milestone in the firm’s 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,” he added.
Indosat, ITA, and Tsinghua University partner to establish AI Application Cooperation Center