ETSI launches TC NET committee to standardize AI-native networks

The European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI) has commenced operational activities for its new technical committee, TC NET, focused on developing global standards for AI-native networks. The inaugural meeting took place from October 7 to 9, 2026, at ETSI headquarters in Sophia Antipolis, France, with over 100 delegates from industry, research, and academia in attendance.

TC NET aims to create a federated digital infrastructure that integrates artificial intelligence, computing, and connectivity across cloud platforms, telecom networks, edge infrastructure, and connected devices. The objective is to ensure intelligent services can run wherever they are most needed by establishing interoperability across different organizational infrastructures.

The committee has established four working groups covering the cloud-to-device continuum, service access, agentic AI and autonomous networks, and ecosystem harmonization. Additionally, TC NET will oversee the migration of activities from several existing ETSI Industry Specification Groups, including Multi-access Edge Computing and Network Functions Virtualisation, to consolidate standardization efforts as AI becomes more integrated with network infrastructure.