Nokia is to power AI inference for the Asia Pacific market, as the vendor’s Singaporean arm enters a partnership with AI chip designer Blaize Holdings.

Under a strategic and non-binding Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), Nokia Solutions and Networks Singapore will collaborate on practical AI and physical AI systems across distributed environments, as underpinned by Blaize's programmable AI inference suite for edge computing.

The two firms share a vision that AI adoption will expand model adoption to embrace inference at scale. As recently explored by SDxCentral, 2026 is tipped to be the breakout year of AI inferencing, the process where a trained machine learning (ML) model generates outputs and predictions from new input data.

The inference demand has seen various announcements from hyperscalers, neoclouds, and open clouds, as well as networking stalwarts like Cisco. On the telecom side, the Nokia Singapore venture echoes similar initiatives, usually underpinned by Nvidia, from the likes of Verizon, Deutsche Telekom, and AT&T.

Nvidia, which pitches its edge AI platform for the telecom market among other verticals, collaborated with Singaporean telecom giant Singtel last February to broaden Singapore’s AI infrastructure, similar to the Blaize partnership. That deal preceded Nokia’s late-2025 flagship Nvidia deal in support of ventures in 56, 6G, and AI-augmented radio access networks (AI-RAN). In contrast, the Blaize deal is more focused on agentic solutions alongside physical AI deployments, typified by drones and autonomous vehicles.

Blaize does share some DNA with Nvidia, founded in 2010 by engineers from both the chip darling and fellow silicon giant Intel. Headquartered in California with offices in India, the U.K., and the UAE, the company’s edge computing platform centers around its AI processor, the Blaize 1600 System-on-Chip.

Initially known as Thinci, the firm has raised over $330 million in funding to date, with automotive makers as its primary investors. Blaize was widely reported as the first AI-chip startup to go public in 2025 when it debuted on the Nasdaq via a SPAC merger last January. Since then, the startup has signed deals such as a $120 million smart city-focused venture targeting AI infrastructure in India, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, and China.

"By combining Nokia's leadership in connectivity and automation with the Blaize AI inference platform, we are enabling real-world AI that runs efficiently at the edge while integrating seamlessly with cloud and GPU infrastructure. This hybrid AI approach allows organizations to deploy inference where it matters most and turn intelligence into real operational outcomes," said Dinakar Munagala, co-founder and CEO of Blaize.

“Blaize's energy-efficient AI inference platform gives us the flexibility to extend Hybrid AI architectures across networks, edge systems, and cloud infrastructure. Together, we are enabling scalable, production-ready intelligence that brings AI closer to where data is generated, and actions are taken in the region," added Sang Xulei, senior VP and head of network infrastructure for Asia Pacific at Nokia.