ETSI launches work on standards for AI-native networks
ETSI’s new Technical Committee on Federated Network, Edge, Cloud and AI Technologies has begun developing standards for infrastructure that brings connectivity, computing and AI resources together across networks, cloud platforms, edge systems and devices. Four working groups will lead its initial technical activities.
The European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI) has begun coordinating standards work on networks that integrate AI, computing and connectivity resources across different parts of digital infrastructure.
More than 100 industry representatives, researchers and academics attended the first meeting of ETSI’s Technical Committee on Federated Network, Edge, Cloud and AI Technologies (TC NET), held at its headquarters in Sophia Antipolis, France, from 7 to 9 October. The committee was launched in June 2026 to develop standards intended for global use.
The work centres on a federated infrastructure spanning cloud platforms, networks, edge computing and end-user devices. The aim is to make computing and AI resources more programmable and interoperable, allowing intelligent services to run where they are needed rather than relying on a single location or system.
At its inaugural meeting, TC NET established its decision-making processes and agreed how relevant work from four existing ETSI Industry Specification Groups would be transferred into the new committee. These groups cover Experiential Networked Intelligence, Multi-access Edge Computing, Network Functions Virtualisation, and Zero-touch network and Service Management.
Members also established four working groups to organise the initial technical work:
- Continuum Infrastructure and Control
- Continuum Exposure and Services
- Agentic, Intelligent and Autonomous Networks
- Ecosystem Harmonisation and Validation
The committee discussed cooperation with other stakeholders and open-source communities. Representatives of EURO-3C also presented their interest in federating existing capabilities and infrastructure resources from telecommunications operators and cloud providers, and explored potential links with TC NET’s standards work.
The committee elected Dr Ricard Vilalta of CTTC as chair. Lucía Cabanillas Rodríguez of Telefónica, Yu Zeng of China Telecom, Yuya Kuno of DOCOMO Communications Laboratories and Walter Featherstone of Apple were elected vice-chairs.
TC NET’s next meeting is scheduled for 9–11 December 2026 at ETSI headquarters. Further information is available on the ETSI TC NET website.
