6 days Ago
OpenAI recently closed a $40bn funding round, the most ever raised by a private tech company. Its ability to attract capital in the face of US president Donald Trump’s tariffs is testament to the transformative potential of in business. For telecoms companies, the stakes are higher than ever.
The future of network operations is no longer about maintaining legacy systems but about . AI is rapidly evolving from a futuristic concept into a business-critical tool, and for telecoms, it’s no longer a luxury – it’s a necessity. The pressure is on, and those who hesitate risk falling behind.
AI is a driving force in optimising network performance and automating operations. For telecom operators, embracing AI is no longer a good-to-have; it is now table stakes to compete in a hyper-competitive, tech-driven landscape. The rise of AI agents At the heart of AI’s transformative impact on telecom is the .
These software entities are able to pursue long-term objectives autonomously. They can interact with the environment, processing data from diverse sources including text, images, video, and audio. They can also make complex decisions by breaking them down, prioritising, and sequencing them efficiently.
They also have the ability to create a feedback loop to continuously improve its output. Though still in its early stages, leading telcos are already exploring this technology in a variety of ways: At Mobile World Congress 2025 in Barcelona, agentic AI was a major talking point. Deutsche Telekom and Google Cloud announced plans to develop an agentic AI for autonomous networks, while Ericsson is collaborating with Telenor to create a proof-of-concept for a system that cuts the energy consumption of radio access networks.
SK Telecom also unveiled AI-powered services, including telco AI agents and infrastructure assistants. New era for telecoms The introduction of AI agents signals the dawn of a new era for telecom operators. As autonomous networks powered by AI agents evolve, they will significantly reshape how telcos deliver services, manage infrastructure, and interact with customers.
With telecom networks becoming increasingly complex, traditional rule-based automation will struggle to handle real-time challenges. AI agents will be pivotal in addressing these complexities, reducing latency, and improving service delivery. As , they will drive efficiency and reliability in managing sprawling network infrastructures.
However, the journey ahead is not without challenges. Data privacy and security will remain critical concerns, as AI agents process vast amounts of sensitive customer data. Additionally, integrating AI agents with legacy systems poses a challenge, as telcos must ensure seamless compatibility without disrupting service continuity.
The shift towards AI-driven decision-making also requires new skills and training for staff to effectively collaborate with AI systems. Looking ahead, AI agents will evolve from niche tools into central components of telecoms operations, driving cost reductions, enhancing efficiencies, and unlocking new service offerings. The north star for operators will be not only to successfully deploy AI agents but also to cultivate an ecosystem that supports continuous innovation.
This will help them stay ahead of the competition and deliver faster, more reliable, and personalised services. For telcos that can execute on this opportunity, AI agents will prove to be a game-changer..
