Google Cloud and Nokia have teamed up to embed Google’s Gemini AI models directly into Nokia’s Assurance Center and broader Network as Code (NaC) platform. The partnership, announced at MWC Barcelona on March 3, 2026, is designed to let AI agents interact with telecom network APIs without anyone needing to write a single line of code.

In English: instead of telecom engineers manually configuring network settings and monitoring devices through complex dashboards, AI agents will handle tasks like device management, fleet connectivity, and security monitoring autonomously.

What the deal actually involves

The integration leverages Google’s Agent Developer Kit (ADK) alongside two protocols: Model Context Protocol (MCP) and Agent-to-Agent (A2A). These protocols allow AI agents to communicate with network APIs and with each other, creating what Nokia and Google are calling “intent-based, zero-code workflows.”

Nokia’s NaC platform now connects over 70 partners and supports more than 20 APIs. Major telecom operators including Deutsche Telekom, Globe, and Vodafone are part of that ecosystem.

The early use cases are practical rather than flashy. Enterprise device management, security monitoring, and logistics optimization are the initial focus areas.

This isn’t a partnership that materialized overnight. It builds on a relationship that dates back to 2020, when Nokia and Google Cloud struck a five-year deal for Nokia’s IT migration to Google Cloud infrastructure. More recently, in July 2025, Nokia APIs launched on Google Cloud Marketplace, giving developers a centralized place to access telecom network capabilities.

Why telecom is betting big on agentic AI

The concept of agentic AI, where AI systems don’t just answer questions but take actions on your behalf, is the key differentiator here. Traditional AI in telecom has mostly been about anomaly detection and predictive analytics. Agentic AI goes further. It can detect a problem, determine the fix, and implement it, potentially without human intervention.

Google’s Gemini models bring multimodal reasoning capabilities to the table, meaning they can process and act on different types of data simultaneously. When applied to network management, that translates to an AI agent that can analyze traffic patterns, correlate them with device health metrics, and adjust configurations in real time.

What this means for investors

The partnership highlights the growing importance of AI infrastructure spending. Every telecom operator that adopts these tools becomes a Google Cloud customer consuming compute resources to run Gemini models.

For Nokia, the play is about platform stickiness. The NaC platform with 70-plus partners and 20-plus APIs creates an ecosystem that becomes harder to leave the more it gets used.

The risk worth watching is execution complexity. Telecom networks carry voice calls, emergency services, and critical business communications, meaning deployment will likely be cautious and incremental rather than a sudden transformation.