Nordic Semiconductor simplifies edge AI for billions of IoT devices

New nRF54L Series SoC with NPU and Nordic Edge AI Lab make on-device intelligence easily accessible and radically power-efficient

LAS VEGAS, Jan. 6, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Nordic Semiconductor, a global leader in low-power wireless connectivity solutions, is bringing AI intelligence and functionality to the smallest battery-powered IoT devices. With an industry-leading, ultra-low-power Edge AI solution, Nordic accelerates the arrival of a new generation of devices with integrated edge AI intelligence - combining energy efficiency with unmatched ease of use for developers.

• nRF54LM20B – New ultra-low-power, large-memory wireless SoC with Axon NPU
• Custom Neuton models – Industry-leading, ultra-tiny edge AI models
• Nordic Edge AI Lab – Development tool, simplifying and accelerating edge AI development

"AI factories train intelligence, but Nordic deploys it – on device, at the edge, where the world happens - said Vegard Wollan, CEO at Nordic Semiconductor. " Edge AI is no longer optional – it's the only way to deliver safety, privacy, and sustainability at scale.  Nordic's edge AI solution enables millisecond decisions without round-trip latency to the cloud, ensures compliance through local processing, and delivers radically improved battery life for billions of connected devices. This is the new standard for ultra-low-power edge AI and Nordic is defining it."

Next-generation nRF54LM20B with Axon NPU 

In 2023, Nordic acquired Atlazo and its Axon technology. The nRF54LM20B SoC is the first large-memory member of the nRF54L Series, integrating the Axon Neural Processing Unit (NPU), an ultra-efficient AI hardware accelerator, to supercharge demanding edge AI workloads. Axon delivers up to 7 times faster performance and up to 8 times higher energy efficiency versus competing solutions for tasks such as sound classification, keyword spotting, and image-based detection.

The nRF54LM20B SoC pairs the Axon NPU with 2 MB NVM, 512 KB RAM, a 128 MHz Arm® Cortex-M33 plus RISC-V coprocessor, high-speed USB, up to 66 GPIOs, and Nordic's fourth-generation ultra-low-power 2.4 GHz radio supporting Bluetooth® LE, Bluetooth Channel Sounding, Matter over Thread, and more.

Industry-leading ultra-tiny Neuton edge AI models

The Neuton models are ultra-tiny, CPU-run edge AI models that are typically under 5 KB and up to 10 times smaller, faster, and more efficient than other CPU-run models. Nordic Edge AI Lab helps developers generate custom Neuton models for anomaly detection, activity and gesture recognition, biometric monitoring, and more – delivering privacy-preserving, real-time intelligence on tiny batteries and constrained memory, without cloud dependency.

Edge AI becomes a natural part of any new product design

With Nordic Edge AI Lab and Neuton models, intelligence moves from concept to reality without complexity. One recent deployment illustrates this: A global supply chain solution upgraded its smart tracking devices with AI models created in Nordic Edge AI Lab effortlessly, enabling detection of real handling events such as shock, shaking, and transportation directly on an nRF54L Series SoC. These AI-driven insights were rolled out across an entire fleet without operational disruption, thanks to Nordic's nRF Cloud lifecycle services.

"With Nordic Edge AI Lab, Neuton models, and the Axon NPU, Nordic makes advanced on-device AI practical for every embedded developer," said Oyvind Strom, EVP Short-Range BU at Nordic Semiconductor. "Developers get the simplicity to move fast, and the disruptive performance to scale from wearables to industrial sensing – all enabled within Nordic's trusted ultra-low-power hardware solutions." 

As intelligence moves to the edge, the need for OTA management and deep observability is growing. At the same time, cloud-based lifecycle services remain critical for device management, embedded observability, and location services. Manufacturers increasingly need continuous insight into device performance – not just to improve products in real time, but to meet growing regulatory and customer requirements. Using data from deployed devices enhances features and optimizes performance without disrupting the user experience. This ensures connected products can evolve securely and efficiently throughout their lifecycle.

Availability

Nordic Edge AI Lab and custom Neuton models are available today for Nordic wireless nRF54 Series SoCs and cellular IoT SiP modules. The nRF54LM20B SoC with Axon NPU is now sampling to selected customers, with broad availability for development expected early Q2 2026. For samples, contact Nordic sales. 

Meet Nordic at CES

Experience live demos of Nordic Semiconductor's new ultra-low-power edge AI solutions at CES 2026, booth #52039 at the Venetian Expo. In addition, attendees can also explore Nordic innovations in Bluetooth Channel Sounding, Matter for smart home, cellular IoT, NTN/satellite connectivity, cloud lifecycle services, and more.

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