AI to drive 700% WAN traffic surge by 2034: Nokia

Nokia expects artificial intelligence to reshape how much data moves across wide area networks over the next decade. The company projects WAN traffic will grow 700% by 2034, with AI alone accounting for about 30% of global traffic.

Unlike video streaming or SaaS, Nokia says AI systems generate compounding network demand. Every user interaction, API call, agent-to-agent workflow, and round of data replication across clouds and regions adds more load. Training models stays relatively centralized, but inference and agent-based AI run in many places at once, driving continual growth in traffic rather than one-time spikes.