Ericsson & Supermicro partner to deliver integrated Edge AI

Ericsson and Supermicro have announced a strategic collaboration aimed at accelerating the rollout of Edge AI systems by integrating 5G wireless connectivity with edge computing platforms.

The two technology firms have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to explore the combination of Ericsson Enterprise Wireless Solutions' 5G connectivity and Supermicro's Edge AI platforms into unified commercial offerings.

The prospective bundles are intended to enable advanced Edge AI capabilities that make use of 5G connectivity as a key attribute. According to the companies, this integration is expected to simplify the procurement and deployment process for enterprises by offering a unified solution that combines pre-validated AI compute and 5G connectivity into a single package.

As artificial intelligence becomes increasingly embedded into a wide range of business operations, there is a growing need for AI solutions with low-latency response times, prompting demand for Edge AI systems. These systems bring pre-trained and generative AI models, as well as agentic AI, to the network edge, enabling local processing outside traditional data centres. The collaboration between Ericsson and Supermicro is designed to support businesses across industries—including retail, manufacturing, healthcare, and others—in the rapid deployment of Edge AI infrastructure with integrated wireless connectivity.

Product portfolio

Supermicro's infrastructure portfolio encompasses a range of Edge AI application products, from small fanless devices and compact systems to 1U rackmount systems. These wireless standalone systems are intended to operate in diverse environments while delivering data throughput that matches typical wired systems.

Mory Lin, Vice President, IoT/Embedded & Edge Computing, Supermicro, stated:

Supermicro delivers cutting-edge solutions that allow enterprises to harness the power of AI at the edge. Our compute platforms combined with Ericsson's 5G technology will allow enterprises and public sector organisations to extend the reach of their AI applications where wired technologies are not a viable option, such as smart intersections, industrial manufacturing, and remote infrastructure.

5G connectivity at the edge

Ericsson's wireless WAN portfolio includes a variety of indoor and outdoor wireless adapters encompassing low- and mid-band spectrum, as well as 5G, SD-WAN, and security appliances. These solutions are particularly relevant when traditional wired connectivity is impractical or unavailable, enabling 5G to serve as either a primary or backup WAN connection for critical deployments. By leveraging Ericsson's solution, enterprises can access features such as network slicing, cellular intelligence, and zero trust security.

Jonathan Fischer, Vice President, Global OEM & Embedded Partners at Ericsson, said:

Ericsson has been transforming the WAN edge for almost a decade, allowing enterprises to connect anything, anywhere with speed and agility. We are excited to collaborate with Supermicro to extend this same speed and agility to the emerging Edge AI space. Together, we have an opportunity to make it easier for enterprises to operate edge intelligence.

Use cases

The companies have highlighted several potential industry applications for their joint offerings. In retail, Edge AI systems could accelerate checkout processing through real-time image recognition, improve inventory tracking, and enhance theft detection and alerts. In smart factories and industrial automation, local processing of sensor and camera data can support the monitoring and control of machinery. For traffic safety, data analysis directly from edge-based cameras and sensors can facilitate adaptive real-time traffic management. In healthcare, Edge AI could assist in just-in-time inventory management, reducing waste and ensuring the availability of critical medical supplies.

The commercial availability or detailed technical specifications of the bundled solutions have not been disclosed as the collaboration is in the exploratory phase marked by the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding.

The companies stated the intent is to simplify and speed up edge deployments for enterprise customers and public sector organisations by providing validated technology packages that combine wireless connectivity and AI compute resources.