The integration of 5G and Edge AI aims to transform sectors such as retail, industry, traffic, and health, accelerating the deployment of local artificial intelligence and advanced wireless connectivity.
Ericsson and Supermicro have announced a strategic agreement to drive the deployment of Edge AI solutions by combining Ericsson’s leading 5G platforms with Supermicro’s Edge AI infrastructure. This partnership aims to offer commercial bundles that enable businesses and public organizations to accelerate the adoption of artificial intelligence in environments where low latency, rapid deployment, and wireless connectivity are essential.
5G and Edge AI: The Pairing for the Next Wave of Digitalization
The rise of artificial intelligence in business processes has highlighted the need for local real-time data processing. From image recognition in supermarkets to the analysis of industrial sensors and adaptive traffic management, the ability to execute AI models and make immediate decisions at the data source is key to maintaining competitiveness.
The combination of Ericsson’s 5G technology—which provides highly reliable wireless WAN connections and features such as network slicing, cellular intelligence, and zero-trust security—with Supermicro’s broad range of Edge AI platforms, from fanless devices to 1U rack systems, aims to facilitate the integration of advanced AI for companies even in scenarios where wired connectivity is not viable.
Mory Lin, Vice President of Edge Computing at Supermicro, explains: "Our systems, combined with Ericsson’s 5G technology, will allow organizations to deploy AI at the edge where traditional solutions do not reach: from smart intersections and factories to remote infrastructures."
Practical Applications in Key Sectors
The joint solution from Ericsson and Supermicro targets various sectors, with use cases such as:
- Retail: Accelerating the checkout process through real-time image recognition, automated inventory tracking, and theft detection.
- Smart factories and industrial automation: Local processing of data from sensors and cameras for machinery control and supervision, reducing response times and improving operational efficiency.
- Traffic Management: Direct analysis of images and sensor data for adaptive and secure urban traffic management.
- Healthcare: Supporting critical operations through smart inventory management and assistance for time-sensitive medical procedures.
Advantages Over Traditional Solutions
The adoption of Edge AI alongside 5G reduces dependence on traditional data centers and enhances the resilience of critical services. Additionally, Supermicro’s infrastructure enables the scaling of computing and storage resources on demand, managing data flows from petabytes to exabytes. Meanwhile, Ericsson’s 5G connectivity ensures that these capabilities are available even in locations where wiring would be too costly or impractical, offering high availability and WAN backup for critical business deployments.
Jonathan Fischer, Global Vice President of OEM & Embedded Partners at Ericsson, states: "Ericsson has been transforming the enterprise edge for nearly a decade. Together with Supermicro, we aim to bring that agility to the emerging field of edge artificial intelligence, facilitating edge intelligence operations for businesses."
Ecosystem and Deployment
The agreement includes the creation of pre-validated commercial bundles that simplify the acquisition and deployment of the infrastructure. System integrators and interested customers can learn about the solution details at the Supermicro booth (#P10, Pavilion 7) during the NVIDIA GTC Paris (June 11-12, 2025) and through Supermicro’s website.
A Rapidly Growing Market
According to experts, the Edge AI market, powered by 5G connectivity, is expected to grow exponentially in the coming years, enabling new business models and transforming sectors such as industry, retail, logistics, and healthcare. The collaboration between technology leaders like Ericsson and Supermicro marks a new phase in the convergence of artificial intelligence, edge computing, and advanced wireless networks.