Nokia Bell Labs and e& forge AI use case R&D collaboration

Looking to develop “responsible” artificial intelligence (AI) solutions for sustainable enterprise and industrial automation applications and accelerate innovation concepts towards real-world deployments, Nokia Bell Labs and e& have signed a year-long, non-binding memorandum of understanding (MoU) for research and development (R&D) collaboration to create AI-based use cases for strategic industrial sectors.

An early adopter of AI and generative AI (GenAI) in its 33 operating markets, e& has declared its commitment to reach net-zero status in its home market of the United Arab Emirates by 2030 and across all operations by 2040.

Nokia Bell Labs advocates responsible AI and has defined six principles to guide future AI research in terms of fairness, reliability, privacy, transparency, sustainability and accountability. These principles, said the research facility, not only reflect the future of AI standards, but also comprehensively account for the telecoms industry’s renewed focus on environmental sustainability, social responsibility and good governance.

AI and machine learning insights from Nokia Bell Labs have already been deployed to provide operations and customer care teams with automated recommendations to identify and remotely resolve problems proactively in access domains before they lead to network service problems, as well as reduce call handling times and improve first call resolution. 

While we realise the immense potential of AI, it’s equally important to build strong protections to ensure its responsible development and deployment. This will be the foundation of our collaboration with Nokia Bell Labs

Both parties to the MoU regard network connectivity, AI and advanced computing as foundational in solving the difficult industrial challenges of productivity, efficiency, safety, health and sustainability faced by many industrial sectors today.

The MoU includes exploring collaboration opportunities with industry, universities and research centres. Both organisations aim to develop what they believe will be “innovative” solutions in the areas of AI and information and communications technologies that fit into an overall vision of industrial automation and digitisation.

“This engagement between Nokia Bell Labs and e& reflects our commitment to innovating with our customers and partners. By jointly developing applications and use cases that leverage our expertise in responsible AI, software and data systems, we will accelerate the digital transformation that provides new technologies for a safer, more productive and more sustainable future,” said Thierry Klein, president of Bell Labs Solutions Research at Nokia.

“We look forward to co-creating ground-breaking solutions that can unlock new business opportunities for industrial operations in the Middle East and beyond,” added Klein.

Dena Almansoori, chief AI and data officer at e& Group, added: “While we realise the immense potential of AI, it’s equally important to build strong protections to ensure its responsible development and deployment. This will be the foundation of our collaboration with Nokia Bell Labs as we both explore the potential of AI in driving sustainable industrial automation.

“By combining Nokia Bell Labs’ expertise in AI research and our deep understanding of industrial applications, we are set to explore the development of innovative solutions that address the urgent challenges facing industries today.”