Telefónica and Mavenir signed a Memorandum of Understanding to establish a joint AI Innovation Hub focused on accelerating artificial intelligence integration into mobile core networks. The companies will use the lab as a real-world testbed to develop and validate AI-driven orchestration, intent-based services, and AI-enabled monetization frameworks before commercial rollout.
The AI Innovation Hub will emulate production-grade traffic patterns in a controlled environment, allowing both parties to test autonomous network capabilities under realistic conditions. The initiative targets core network functions, including service exposure, automation, and lifecycle management. By combining Telefónica’s operational network environment with Mavenir’s cloud-native core platforms, the partners aim to embed AI models directly into core workflows and operational systems.
The collaboration also includes joint marketing efforts, participation in industry forums, and alignment with regulatory and data security requirements. The companies plan to demonstrate AI-enabled use cases at Mobile World Congress 2026 in Barcelona, where they will showcase autonomous service exposure and intent-driven operations running on Mavenir’s cloud-native core.
- Joint AI Innovation Hub focused on mobile core network evolution
- Testbed environment emulating live traffic patterns for pre-deployment validation
- AI-driven autonomous orchestration and intent-based service enablement
- AI-enabled monetization and programmable service exposure frameworks
- Live demonstration planned at MWC 2026 (Hall 2, Stand 2H60)
“Our collaboration with Mavenir sets a new benchmark in Telefónica’s commitment to lead the industry in AI-driven Core network transformation. By combining Mavenir’s cloud-native core and service platforms with our real-world operational environment, we can transform the core network and rapidly operationalize AI-powered services that are ready for commercial deployment,” said Cayetano Carbajo, Core, Transport and Ecosystem Director at CTIO, Telefónica.
🌐 Analysis
Telefónica’s move reflects a broader shift among Tier 1 operators toward embedding AI directly inside the 5G core, rather than limiting AI to network analytics layers. Operators including Vodafone and Deutsche Telekom have expanded AI orchestration initiatives, but focused core-centric AI labs signal a deeper push toward autonomous network domains aligned with 3GPP’s vision for self-organizing and intent-driven systems.
For Mavenir, the partnership strengthens its positioning as a cloud-native core supplier competing with traditional vendors such as Ericsson and Nokia in the standalone 5G core market. By anchoring AI use cases in a live Tier 1 environment, Mavenir gains a production-grade reference point as operators increasingly evaluate AI readiness as part of core modernization strategies.
