The rapidly accelerating development and application of artificial intelligence is keeping experts’ expectations very high for both the short- and indeed the longer-term. The public is also looking on with a mixture of curiosity and amazement when it comes to potential use cases, especially in terms of generative artificial intelligence models in fields like entertainment and creativity.

But artificial intelligence has the potential to significantly transform entire sectors and industries, far beyond these impressive but perhaps somewhat small fry applications. Telecommunications is one such area where it could be a genuine catalyst for change. But what might these changes look like?

Improvements in AI-based telecommunications for operators

Artificial intelligence will allow all the various stakeholders in telecommunications to come together strategically around this driver of economic and social development – focusing particularly on areas such as automation-led efficiencies, quality improvements and qualified decision making – with the help of big data easily processed by AI. And that’s just for starters. Alongside these key benefits, the following avenues could also be pursued:

• New products and services. By applying artificial intelligence, operators will soon be able to analyse enormous amounts of information that’s relevant to them in a comparatively miniscule amount of time. That means they’ll be able to quickly detect business opportunities and markets to target with ad hoc products and services, a practice that’s currently either non-existent or seriously underdeveloped.
• Better managed networks. With AI tools, we’ll be able to identify and analyse qualified data traffic on networks much more efficiently, significantly reduce waiting times, massively reduce or even avoid interruptions to supplies altogether, etc.
• More (and better) commercial dynamics. Carrying out AI-based analyses of customer data means companies will be able to design and implement practically tailor-made business strategies for the specific needs and circumstances of individual customers, something entirely unthinkable until even just a few years ago.
• Fewer routine tasks. All the repetitive tasks in the communications sector that are known to be tedious and prone to mistakes or misunderstandings could be improved by applying artificial intelligence: year-end financial statements, monthly or quarterly billing cycles, and issuing and receiving commercial and legal documents from customers are just a few examples. Thanks to AI, fraud could also come down significantly, helping businesses crack down on phishing scams and other common criminal practices.

Improvements in AI-based telecommunications for customers

Like operators, customers will also see benefits when artificial intelligence tools are introduced into the telecommunications market. 

• More “natural” interactions. Nowadays, most interactions between a customer and their operator take place via automated systems. And while these can be quite efficient, in certain scenarios, many customers still prefer the reassurance of talking to an actual human. Artificial intelligence could help make interactions with companies far more organic and effective, even if they are still automated.
• Personalised user experience. Data analysis will allow telecom firms to ensure that every customer has an experience that was designed and shaped almost exclusively for their specific case. This will all but guarantee higher levels of satisfaction and better overall performance.
• Better recommendations. That same data analysis means offers and launches – as well as the products and services available – won’t be the same for two different people, but rather adapted to each customer’s individual history, their preferences, their tastes and the highly specific needs they’ve clearly set out.