Norwegian telecom operator Telenor has constructed the nation’s first “AI manufacturing facility”, powered by Nvidia H100 Tensor Core GPUs and Nvidia AI Enterprise software program platform. Opened in November 2024, Nvidia stated the ability permits organisations to course of delicate knowledge securely in Norway whereas prioritising sustainability.
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Norway’s First AI Manufacturing unit
Talking on Nvidia’s AI podcast, Telenor’s Chief Innovation Officer and Head of the AI Manufacturing unit Kaaren Hilsen, stated the AI Manufacturing unit went from idea to actuality in underneath a yr and now serves prospects throughout a lot of sectors, together with logistics and public providers. It delivers “sustainable and safe sovereign AI — the place nations personal the manufacturing of their very own intelligence,” Hilsen added.
AI Manufacturing unit’s First Buyer
As a part of the AI-powered transformation initiative throughout numerous industries, Telenor introduced an preliminary 100 million NOK funding in February final yr to construct an AI manufacturing facility utilizing Nvidia’s AI computing platform. Hive Autonomy, a Norwegian firm specialising in autonomous expertise, turned the primary buyer of the AI manufacturing facility, Telenor introduced in November 2024.
“Telenor’s AI manufacturing facility goals to boost AI adoption for each inside operations and exterior prospects, in addition to present native AI computing capabilities to the Nordic area,” the telco stated on the time of the announcement.
Whereas the telco now has exterior prospects, together with Hive Autonomy and Capgemini (which is creating voice-to-voice translation), Hilsen stated the AI Manufacturing unit was initially constructed to help Telenor’s personal AI wants.
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Plans New Information Heart
Telenor can also be planning to construct a knowledge heart in Oslo that may run on renewable vitality and repurpose extra warmth for district heating in close by residential buildings, in line with the weblog put up. Telenor has partnered with energy firm Huisman and a renewable vitality investor referred to as HitecVision to construct the “tremendous trendy” knowledge heart.
Sovereign AI infrastructure helps nations handle delicate knowledge and advance sustainability targets.
Telenor Launches Open Lab
In one other improvement, Telenor introduced the launch of Open Lab, a testbed designed to facilitate open innovation, on March 3, 2025. Telenor’s Open Lab will permit Telenor, its prospects, and companions to check and validate new applied sciences in managed environments, initially specializing in community expertise, with plans to broaden into different areas corresponding to AI.
The preliminary section of the Open Lab leverages superior 5G capabilities, together with community slicing, O-RAN, cell personal networks, and native breakout edge options.
Telenor stated whereas the guts of the platform situated at Fornebu, specialised testing amenities are being established each in Gothenburg and on Svalbard. “The Gothenburg testing facility at Lindholmen Science Park will provide amenities for cutting-edge use instances, corresponding to AI-driven predictive upkeep and warning methods, real-time monitoring, and enhanced employee security options,” Telenor stated.
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AI-Powered Name Safety Service
Telenor Norway introduced on February 7 the nationwide rollout of its name safety service, Nummervarsel. The brand new service, powered by Hiya’s Adaptive AI, will likely be out there to just about all enterprise prospects and shoppers.
The service will routinely flag suspicious, fraudulent, or spam calls in actual time, enabling customers to make knowledgeable selections earlier than answering. Built-in into Telenor’s service, Nummervarsel requires no downloads or further apps, offering easy safety for patrons.
Based on Hiya’s Q3 2024 International Name Menace Report, practically 10 billion calls have been flagged as suspected spam within the third quarter of 2024 alone, translating to 105 million undesirable calls day by day.
