Exploring The Future With Nokia: AI, Quantum, Sensing Networks, And Space Communication

I’m excited to share that I’ve joined Nokia as their Futurist in Residence. In this new role, I’ll be working closely with their teams to explore and communicate the technologies that will shape the world of tomorrow. Already, I’ve had the opportunity to immerse myself in some of the most innovative research and product development happening inside the company. This includes time at the legendary Nokia Bell Labs, where I met with key leaders and scientists behind Nokia’s cutting-edge work in AI, quantum, sensing networks, and space communications. What follows is a snapshot of what I’ve discovered so far, and why it matters for all of us.

To kick things off, I recently ran a LinkedIn poll asking which future technology excites people the most: AI, quantum computing, sensing networks, or space communications. Out of 843 votes, a significant 61% chose artificial intelligence, followed by 27% for quantum. It’s clear that these two areas are capturing imaginations—and in many ways, they’re where Nokia is pushing the boundaries.

AI That Sees, Thinks, And Acts

Artificial intelligence is central to Nokia's vision for future networks, not just as a tool but as a foundational layer that enhances how networks operate and interact with the world. Given that AI topped the list in the poll by a wide margin, it's exciting to see how Nokia is making it real—not just as a tool, but as an intelligent layer that enhances how networks operate and interact with the world. One of the standout ideas from my work with Nokia is the shift from large language models to what they call "Large World Models." These are designed not just to understand language but to interpret and interact with complex, dynamic physical environments.

Matthew Andrews, a research scientist at Bell Labs, explained how these models are powering industrial AI. "We’re building large-scale digital twins that can be controlled through natural language," he told me. Think of it as giving robots and automated systems a form of spatial awareness, allowing them to navigate, reason, and act in real time.

This next generation of AI will underpin everything from smart warehouses to intelligent cities, using sensor networks, AI-powered reasoning, and fleets of mobile robots to monitor, optimise, and even fix systems on the fly. What excites me most is the potential to bring the intelligence of large language models—like ChatGPT—together with robots that have special intelligence. Imagine robots that don’t just follow scripts but understand context, adapt in real time, and interact naturally with people and their environments. It’s the fusion of digital cognition with physical agency, and it opens the door to workplaces, cities, and homes that are far more responsive, efficient, and human-centric than anything we’ve seen before.

Quantum: Moving Beyond Hype To Hardware

Quantum computing came second in the poll, and I can understand why. It feels abstract to many, but Nokia is doing the hard work to make it practical and impactful. Quantum computing has long been surrounded by excitement, but Nokia is turning that into something real. Ian Crawley, a quantum researcher at Bell Labs, gave me a simple but powerful analogy: “Today’s quantum computers are like the vacuum tubes of the early computing era. Our goal is to create the transistor for quantum.” And by the way, the transistor was also developed at Nokia Bell Labs!

Nokia Bell Labs is developing a topological qubit, a potentially game-changing approach that stores information across multiple particles, making it far more stable and scalable than traditional qubit designs. That’s a crucial step because noise and instability have been major roadblocks in making quantum useful.

The potential applications are massive. As Ian put it, “Quantum computers will help solve problems in pharmaceuticals, logistics, and material science that classical computers simply can't touch.” Whether it's modelling molecular interactions for drug discovery or optimising supply chains across continents, quantum could reshape what’s computationally possible. I find this work thrilling because it represents a fundamental shift in how we solve the world’s toughest problems. From curing diseases to tackling climate modelling, the implications go far beyond business—they're deeply human.

Networks That Make Sense Of The World

At Nokia, networks are no longer just for transmitting data. They're becoming active participants in the environments they serve. While sensing networks didn’t score as high in the poll, I believe their long-term impact on infrastructure, safety, and resilience is often underestimated. I spoke to Peter Vetter, President of Bell Labs Core Research, who introduced me to the concept of networks with a "sixth sense."

“It may sound esoteric,” he said with a smile, “but the idea is very real. By turning radio base stations into sensors, we can use them to detect motion, presence, even breathing.” These are not add-ons but capabilities that are increasingly built into the networks themselves.

This new generation of networks can sense their own performance, anticipate failures, and take corrective action autonomously. Combined with edge AI, these capabilities enable real-time decision-making for things like urban traffic management, predictive maintenance in factories, and even detecting suspicious drone activity.

And it's not just about radio waves. Nokia is also pioneering fiber sensing, using existing fiber optic cables to detect vibrations and changes in pressure—enabling everything from early tsunami warnings to precise seismic activity tracking. As someone deeply interested in how technology can improve safety and resilience, I find this incredibly important. These sensing networks could become the invisible guardians of our cities, infrastructure, and even natural environments.

The Final Frontier: Networks In Space

Space communications may have scored only 7% in the poll, but for me, this is one of the most visionary areas Nokia is exploring. It’s where science fiction edges closer to science fact. Space is no longer the exclusive domain of astronauts and rockets, it’s fast becoming a data-driven ecosystem. Thierry Klein, President of Nokia Bell Labs Solutions Research, walked me through Nokia’s work on building networks for space.

From providing connectivity in remote Earth regions using low-Earth orbit satellites to deploying actual cellular networks on the Moon, Nokia is applying its terrestrial network expertise to extraterrestrial challenges. “We recently operated the first cellular network on the Moon,” Thierry told me. “The same technologies we use to connect billions of people on Earth can be adapted for space.”

What fascinates me most is the sheer scope of what this unlocks—from laying the foundations for a lunar economy to enabling deeper space exploration. The idea of robots mining the Moon’s surface sounds like science fiction, but it’s becoming a reality. I’m especially drawn to how this could help us here on Earth—using satellite constellations to monitor our planet’s health, detect deforestation in real time, predict extreme weather, or track environmental changes with unmatched accuracy. These networks could become a kind of planetary nervous system.

The implications are vast. These space-based systems will power everything from real-time communications for astronauts to massive data transfers via optical ‘superhighways’—laser-based links that could carry vast amounts of information between Earth, the Moon, and eventually Mars.

Nokia is also developing technologies for immersive video transmission over satellite links. In partnership with the European Space Agency, they’re working on ways to stream high-resolution, 360-degree video in real time, even over constrained bandwidth. This has game-changing potential for applications like telemedicine, remote training, or operating in regions with no terrestrial infrastructure.

This part of Nokia’s innovation portfolio speaks directly to my inner futurist. I’ve always been fascinated by space, but what excites me even more is how these innovations developed for lunar and interplanetary missions can loop back and benefit life on Earth. Imagine disaster response teams using these tools in remote or conflict-affected zones, or medical specialists providing expert care to underserved regions from across the world. It’s about extending human potential—reaching farther and helping more, wherever we are.

From Lab To Life

My collaboration with Nokia has been eye-opening so far. I’ve written about many of these technologies before, but seeing them up close, and understanding the ambition behind them, has been humbling and inspiring. I still remember stepping into the foyer of Nokia Bell Labs and seeing ten Nobel Prizes on the wall. It was a powerful reminder that this is a place where the future is actively being invented.

These aren’t theoretical breakthroughs. They’re being built, tested, and in some cases already deployed. AI that can understand the physical world, networks that sense and adapt, quantum hardware with real promise, and cellular communication operating on the moon.

I hope these innovations will help build a future that’s smarter, safer, and more inclusive. And as Futurist in Residence, I couldn’t be more excited to keep sharing the cutting-edge work they’re doing to shape the future of connectivity and beyond.