Ericsson has announced a strategic partnership with French startup Mistral AI to develop advanced artificial intelligence tools tailored specifically for telecom networks, with a long-term focus on automation, resilience, and the transition toward 6G.
The collaboration brings together Ericsson’s expertise in network infrastructure with Mistral AI’s large language models to co-develop AI agents designed to address telecom-specific challenges. Key focus areas include automating legacy code translation, accelerating 6G research and development, and deploying customised AI agents to optimise network operations.
The companies aim to build AI-driven software capable of enhancing decision-making in product development and deployment by bringing operational data closer to AI models. This approach is expected to shorten innovation cycles while improving performance and reliability across telecom infrastructure.
Marjorie Janiewicz, Chief Revenue Officer at Mistral AI, said the partnership is about fundamentally reshaping telecom networks. “This partnership with Ericsson isn’t just about applying AI to telecom, it’s about transforming networks from the ground up. By combining our frontier models with Ericsson’s expertise in radio, cloud and carrier-grade systems, we’re customising models with deep domain knowledge that accelerate modernisation. Together, we’re setting a new standard for what AI can achieve in telecom.”
Dag Lindbo, Head of AI & Emerging Technologies in Ericsson’s Business Area Networks, highlighted the practical orientation of the initiative. “At Ericsson, AI for networks is about precision, not hype. With Mistral AI, we’re applying advanced models where they matter most — from accelerating code migration and supporting 6G research to building trustworthy AI agents. This collaboration helps improve time to value for customers while strengthening network performance and resilience.”
The partnership reflects a broader industry trend toward embedding AI more deeply into telecom infrastructure, as operators seek to automate operations, reduce complexity and costs, and prepare networks for the next generation of connectivity.
