"AI is too big for the European internet" - so it's time for companies to work together, Nokia says
The world's networks are under strain from AI workloads, so what can be done?
· TechRadarNews By Craig Hale published 17 December 2025
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- "AI is too big for the European internet," Nokia declares as it pushes for network modernization
- Most AI users already experience some latency, downtime or throughput constraints
- Governments, telecoms and enterprises need to work together
Nokia has boldly claimed "AI is too big for the European internet" in a new report as it calls for industry-wide, global collaboration.
This comes as around two in three organizations surveyed have AI in live use, with even more running pilots, meaning the pressure on networks is very much today, not tomorrow.
Already, more than half of the study's participants note issues like latency, downtime and throughput constraints linked to a rise in AI and data traffic, so it's time for networking companies to come together to address the problem before it's too late.
AI is putting immense pressure on today's networks, says Nokia
The research, largely focused on Nokia's home continent of Europe, found 86% of European enterprises agree that current networks aren't up to the job when it comes to widespread AI adoption. Over three-quarters (78%) worry infrastructure limits will restrict their AI scaling, with half (54%) already noticing poor network performance.
However, Nokia also took a global approach to the research, and discovered that US concerns mirror those in Europe, with 88% of US telecoms firms and enterprises acknowledging that infrastructure limitations could prevent or hinder future AI growth.
"This research shows a clear understanding across the ecosystem that future waves will demand more advanced, AI-native networks and substantial investment to strengthen network requirements," Nokia CTO and CAIO Pallavi Mahajan explained.
It's not just about performance, either. With ongoing geopolitical tech battles playing out and data sovereignty becoming a priority globally, nearly one-third of European enterprise leaders worry infrastructure issues could force them to move things abroad in an era when they're trying to move things back home.
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