Nokia Sees AI Driving 44% of Network Traffic by 2035
Nokia's Global Network Traffic Report projects total network traffic will nearly quadruple from 2026 levels by 2035.
Updated on Nov. 4, 2026 in Artificial Intelligence
Nokia projects that artificial intelligence will drive 44 percent of global network traffic by 2035, with total traffic reaching almost 3,789 exabytes per month. The forecast is part of Nokia's Global Network Traffic Report, which models consumer, enterprise and AI traffic from a 2026 baseline.
Why it matters
The projection points to a sharp rise in the demand AI applications place on telecom networks, shaping how operators plan capacity and infrastructure investment. Physical AI and agentic AI are expected to generate the fastest growth in traffic.
Nokia's model projects physical AI applications will generate more than 90 percent of their traffic over the network uplink by 2035, while agentic AI traffic reaches 160 times its 2026 level and physical AI traffic reaches 105 times. Edge and metro core infrastructure is projected to serve 36 percent of AI-native traffic, but the extraction does not state how these assumptions will hold as deployment evolves.
The players
Nokia
Nokia is a Finnish telecommunications and network equipment company that publishes industry research on network infrastructure and traffic trends.
Pallavi Mahajan
Pallavi Mahajan is Nokia's Chief Technology and AI Officer, overseeing the company's technology and artificial intelligence strategy.
The details
Nokia's report uses a bottom-up model that combines application usage, connected-device activity and agentic workflows with third-party research, expert review and Nokia lab testing. Fixed wireless access is projected to generate more than one-third of consumer cellular traffic by 2035.
Timeline
2026: Baseline year for the network traffic and AI traffic projections.
2035: Projected year in which AI drives 44 percent of total network traffic and total traffic reaches 3,789 exabytes per month.
The Tech Race
The forecast positions Nokia within the telecom industry's effort to prepare networks for AI-driven demand, with physical and agentic AI workloads expected to grow fastest over the decade. Edge and metro core infrastructure, projected to carry 36 percent of AI-native traffic, is where operators and equipment makers are likely to compete for the next wave of network investment.
Rising AI traffic could affect the speed and reliability of mobile and home internet service as networks absorb more demand. Fixed wireless access projected to carry more than one-third of consumer cellular traffic suggests home broadband alternatives may expand.
The takeaway
Network capacity planning is increasingly tied to AI workloads, so consumers may see service quality shaped by how quickly operators build out edge and metro infrastructure.
Further reading
Explore more on how AI is reshaping demand in the Artificial Intelligence section.
