Nokia’s latest transformation is absolutely ruthless: a patent money-printing machine + AI infrastructure—a whole new way for an old giant to stay alive.

Nokia has corrected the misconception that it is the “king of mobile phones,” achieving a turnaround by leveraging massive patent licensing and optical-network/AI infrastructure. In early 2026, net profit surged 200% year over year, with more than 7,000 5G SEPs, patent revenue of about 1.5 billion euros, and a profit margin exceeding 70%. By acquiring Infinera, rolling out AI‑RAN, and pursuing AI Aerial, it advances cloud computing power and 6G-forward-looking standards, transforming into a hidden giant of AI infrastructure.