Artificial Intelligence in Telecommunications 2025

Secure vendor software updates BOX 6 A global IT solutions provider supported a market- leading CSP in launching a genAI-assisted telco cloud security management solution that simplifies vendor software upgrades in the telco cloud, ensuring infrastructure security. By retrieving and analysing official documentation, the genAI assistant creates and validates upgrade plans, reducing analysis time from two days to four minutes. This approach minimizes human error, prevents security breaches and optimizes resource allocation, achieving a 91% recommendation success rate. In the event of a breach, AI can execute automated incident detection, analysis and response, minimizing the infrastructure and service impact.Platform and technology Value: Reduce cost to serve Legacy architecture and siloed data are constraining CSPs, with 66% of executives concerned about their technical debt and 84% fearing missed growth opportunities without IT transformation.24 GenAI can accelerate modernization and reduce associated costs to unlock agility and enable larger business value generation. The challenges of disconnected implementations, vendor dependencies and complex custom solutions amplify transformation difficulties, but genAI can address these by acting as the “tech for tech” lever. It can reverse-engineer business logic, identify gaps between industry standards and current implementations, establish architecture guardrails, create detailed design documents, generate code in multiple technology constructs, generate and execute test scenarios, and automate code promotion – streamlining the entire technology delivery life cycle. GenAI can also be applied to the data delivery life cycle to enable automated data management, retention and governance. GenAI can orchestrate processes and data silos without requiring expensive consolidation efforts, reducing technical team workloads, costs and timelines and enabling the standardized, fit-for- purpose adaptive new digital core that is inherently less prone to technical debt accumulation. Secure and reliable operations Telecommunications firms, as providers of critical infrastructure, face increasing regulatory obligations to protect network infrastructure, customer data, security and privacy.25 AI and ML enable data analysis across telcos to identify patterns signalling a security risk. Malicious actors can employ AI to identify and exploit vulnerabilities. AI-powered vulnerability management helps telcos identify and prioritize network exposure to these threats, enabling timely remediation through patching, re-architecting or other measures. AI can automate responses to known vulnerabilities, such as applying compensating controls (for example, network segmentation) until patches are implemented. Telco services rely heavily on infrastructure vendors for closed software packages with new features and patches, which may harbour vulnerabilities or be compromised in the supply chain. AI supports vulnerability assessment for these third-party packages, enhancing software security. In the event of a breach, AI can execute automated incident detection, analysis and response, minimizing the infrastructure and service impact while preventing lateral movements or privilege escalation. Within network security, AI is critical for real- time threat detection, traffic pattern analysis and automated incident response. An AI-driven security operations centre (SOC) assistant identifies anomalies, mitigates risks and safeguards sensitive data, reducing manual effort, strengthening security posture and generating comprehensive incident reports. Autonomous networks with enhanced threat detection and automated security measures provide a robust defence against evolving cyberthreats. AI also supports fraud prevention by analysing customer behaviour in real time and flagging suspicious activities, including blocking spam and scam communications. However, CSPs must address concerns around bias, discrimination, liability and compliance when deploying AI-driven solutions. Anti-spam network BOX 7 Bharti Airtel launched India’s first anti-spam network. The AI-powered network uses advanced algorithms to provide real-time spam protection at no cost to the customers. Processing a staggering 2.5 billion calls and 1.5 billion messages daily, it successfully identified close to 1 million spammers every day within the first two months. The dual-layered protection system integrates network and IT layers for comprehensive coverage. By analysing caller usage patterns, the AI algorithm flags suspected spam communications, offering immediate protection without user action. This approach ensures enhanced security and privacy for all customers. Artificial Intelligence in Telecommunications 15