Nokia CEO: Companies are using AI. Now they have to change how work gets done |
Nokia CEO: Companies are using AI. Now they have to change how work gets done
On a recent weekend, I built a version of the classic video game Pong for my kids using AI.
It’s a simple example, but it shows how quickly the gap between idea and execution is disappearing.
At Nokia, we’re seeing the same compression in our work. It means engineering teams can explore multiple architectural paths in parallel, test them quickly and achieve stronger outcomes faster. Work that was once categorized as operationally difficult or too time-consuming becomes achievable – opening up new opportunities while reinforcing the importance of focus.
More output, faster delivery
The real productivity gain is more output from the same teams, delivered faster for customers. That happens when AI moves from individual use into repeatable workflows.
Since the broad rollout of the AI coding tool Cursor across Nokia earlier this year, more than 14,000 of our team are using the platform across software R&D, with weekly active usage at 67% – and growing. Six months ago, much of this was experimentation. Today, we are seeing repeatable patterns emerge.
In one engineering workflow, teams using AI-assisted development compressed a four-month feature timeline into a couple of weeks. In another, system-level test cases that previously took hours or days to build can now be created in minutes.
The improvement comes from........