In a major move highlighting the convergence of AI and telecom, Cloudera has joined the AI-RAN Alliance—a global consortium that includes Dell Technologies, NVIDIA, SoftBank, T-Mobile, KT, and LG U+. This strategic move places Cloudera at the center of an industry effort to transform telecom infrastructure into intelligent, AI-native platforms.
Formed to accelerate the integration of AI into the Radio Access Network (RAN), the AI-RAN Alliance aims to make telecom environments more agile, autonomous, and commercially viable. As the only hybrid platform unifying data, analytics, and AI, Cloudera is well-positioned to support the Alliance’s goals.
Unlocking AI for Telcos
Telcos worldwide are upgrading legacy networks and cutting costs through virtualization and cloud-native tools. AI adds a powerful layer of efficiency and service innovation—but scaling AI across edge environments remains complex.
“AI is reshaping telecom networks,” said Abhas Ricky, Chief Strategy Officer at Cloudera. “From enhancing service quality to enabling predictive operations, AI can unlock growth and innovation. Cloudera offers the platform and expertise to help telcos run AI—from edge to core.”
Fueling the “Data for AI-RAN” Initiative
As a new member, Cloudera joins the ‘Data for AI-RAN’ working group, focused on standardizing:
- Data orchestration for AI
- LLM-driven network automation
- Hybrid MLOps at telecom scale
Cloudera’s platform handles real-time data processing, edge model training, and secure AI inference across hybrid setups. This enables telecoms to build responsive networks that adapt to dynamic service demands.
Real-World AI Applications
Cloudera will help develop reference architectures to fast-track AI use cases in live telecom settings, including:
- SLA-driven network availability
- Real-time anomaly detection
- Predictive maintenance
“We’re proud to partner with Cloudera in defining the data layer for AI-centric RAN,” said Jemin Chung, VP of Network Strategy at KT. “Their hybrid capabilities align well with our goals for intelligent telecom infrastructure.”
Enabling Telecom Innovation in India
As India’s telecom sector advances digital transformation, Cloudera’s hybrid model is timely.
“Our platform gives Indian telcos the agility to run converged AI and RAN workloads at the edge,” said Mayank Baid, Regional VP, India & South Asia, Cloudera. “We aim to align India’s data infrastructure with global standards—building efficient and resilient networks.”
Strategic Momentum
As demand for AI-native networks grows, Cloudera’s entry into the Alliance underscores its role as a key industry enabler.
“Cloudera is a strong addition to the Alliance,” said Dr. Alex Jinsung Choi, Principal Fellow, SoftBank Corp. and Chair of the AI-RAN Alliance. “Their strength in scalable data and AI platforms will help us deliver real-time, intelligent telecom solutions.”
