I have been following WEF for years. As a technology geek, I always look out for the latest tech trends. I seek ways to turn the theoretical aspects of these trends into practical enterprise usage.

This year’s World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos was so exciting and had so much discussion on AI trends that are reshaping industries, including telecom. Here are some of my insights on how AI can be married into telco space.

🔍 WEF Insights: At WEF 2025, AI was a central theme, with discussions on its potential to revolutionise sectors. The “Industries in the Intelligent Age” report emphasised that AI, quantum computing, and blockchain are driving unprecedented change.
Telecom, in particular, is poised to benefit from AI’s ability to enhance network optimisation, customer experience, and operational efficiency. Notably, AI is expected to contribute to a 21% net increase in global GDP by 2030. Just to put a number on this, Global GDP is 100trillion 💲 in 2025.

🏣 Big 4 Perspectives:

McKinsey: AI could add $4.4 trillion in productivity growth, with telecom being a significant beneficiary. The challenge lies in scaling AI initiatives from pilots to full-scale deployments.

Deloitte: Emphasised the importance of integrating AI with 5G to unlock new revenue streams and improve service delivery. AI-driven automation could reduce operational costs by up to 30%.

PwC: Highlighted AI’s role in predictive maintenance, reducing downtime by 20% and enhancing network reliability.

EY: Concentrated on using AI-driven customer insights to personalise services. This approach aims to boost customer retention. Additionally, AI is expected to enhance customer satisfaction by 25%.

🌐 To have a 360-degree view, here is what academia 🎓 has to say about this.
As per recent study from MIT Sloan the rapid advancements in AI and its applications in telecom. Research indicates that AI can significantly reduce operational costs and improve decision-making processes through advanced analytics and machine learning.

From Telecom perspective there are 10’s (if not 100’s) of use case we can implement and are actively trying some of them. Some e.g. are in Network, BSS/OSS, IT development, Customer Service, Sales and marketing.

As we navigate this AI-driven landscape, it’s crucial for us to stay ahead by embracing these technologies. I personally feel AI’s integration with 5G, IoT, and edge computing will redefine our telco industry, offering unparalleled opportunities for growth and innovation.

Till then let’s continue with AI experimentation 🙂. Time ⌛ will judge what worked what not.

What are some of the biggest challenges you face in moving forwards with AI practical implementation in your industries/domains?
Would love to hear from you!

!!Note: All articles and materials referenced for this post can be found in comments below!!

hashtag#AI hashtag#Telecom hashtag#WEF2025 hashtag#FoodForThought

📌 References:

1. https://www.weforum.org/stories/2025/01/industries-in-the-intelligent-age-ai-tech-theme-davos-2025/

2. https://www.forbes.com/advisor/business/ai-statistics/

3. https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/mckinsey-digital/our-insights/superagency-in-the-workplace-empowering-people-to-unlock-ais-full-potential-at-work