Nokia Global Network Traffic Report forecasts AI will drive nearly half of global traffic in 2035

What happened

Nokia published a report forecasting that AI will account for 44% of global network traffic in 2035. It projects total traffic will nearly quadruple from 2026 to almost 3,789 exabytes per month, with physical AI and autonomous agents increasing demand for uploads, faster responses and nearby processing.

Confirmed

Global impact / market context

If these forecasts materialize, network operators may need to invest in more upload capacity, faster connections and processing closer to users and devices. That spending could raise costs, while networks that support connected machines and AI services may be better placed to win business.

Analyst inference

The report describes a shift from networks mainly serving downloads by people toward traffic from machines and AI agents that also send data back. This implies different capacity needs, particularly for uploads and quick responses, but the article gives no investment plans or financial estimates.

Analyst inference

What to watch

1. Check whether network operators announce specific spending plans for upload capacity, faster response times or processing near users, since the report itself does not identify committed investments. Analyst inference
2. Track whether adoption of robots, vehicles and autonomous AI agents develops as projected; the report says physical AI traffic will be mostly uploads by 2035. Analyst inference
3. Look for later Nokia updates on traffic volumes and network requirements, including whether the forecast of 44% AI-driven traffic in 2035 changes. Analyst inference

Evidence

• globenewswire.com