India, Nov. 7 -- Artificial intelligence (AI) could create significant capacity constraints in cellular networks over the next decade as connected machines, autonomous systems and AI-enabled applications generate increasingly uplink-intensive traffic.

According to Nokia's Global Network Traffic Report 2026, cellular networks designed primarily for downloading consumer content may face growing pressure to accommodate data flowing in the opposite direction.

The report projects that uplink traffic could account for approximately 24% of total traffic in AI-dense cellular locations by 2035, compared with an estimated network-wide average of 13% in mature markets.

The shift could push some network sectors towards capacity limits earlier, par...