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AI

AI & Automation Key to Telecom's Progress

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Artificial intelligence (AI) has the potential to affect the development of every industry vertical in all markets and is set to play a key role in helping the telecoms sector make better use of the vast quantities of data at its fingertips and also help to introduce automated processes that could make the sector more efficient and create new business opportunities.

While many early examples of AI deployment are linked to the world's largest international operators, such as AT&T and Telefonica, Africa's mobile operators are as well placed as any to benefit from AI-based applications.

The opportunities manifest themselves in a number of ways: AI can be used to improve day-to-day business operations; it can be used to automate and target customer care processes to improve efficiency and customer experience metrics; and it looks certain to play a key role in network operations, particularly in tasks such as network planning. In addition, AI tools are already playing an important role in the network security strategies of telecom operators.

But, of course, there are many challenges to overcome when it comes to the use of AI, not least in terms of ethics, security, management, strategy and cost.

These topics, and more, will be explored in the upcoming Connecting Africa webinar, AI's Role in Telecom's Evolution, which takes place at 2 p.m. South Africa Standard Time on Wednesday October 2. The special guest speaker will be Mark Beccue, principal analyst at Tractica, a research house that specializes in AI.

The webinar is free to join -- you can register here.

The topic will also feature prominently at the AfricaCom show in Cape Town this November, when the AI Summit (November 12-14) will feature speakers from the likes of Unitel, Darktrace, MTN, Helios Towers, Multichoice, Ovum and many more.

— The staff, Connecting Africa

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