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Comviva's CEO, Rajesh Chandiramani, looks at how the telecom industry must choose an AI-first approach to drive innovation, transform networks, enhance customer experience and unlock new growth.
Rajesh Chandiramani, Comviva
AI-first or AI-last? The decision that will shape the future of telecom
The telecom industry is at a defining moment. AI is not just an opportunity for incremental improvements; it is the force that will propel telecom companies into the future. The question is no longer whether AI will transform telecom but who will lead this transformation. AI-first companies are positioning themselves for the next wave of growth, while those who choose to follow or delay are at risk of being left behind.
As AI’s influence grows, so does its potential to redefine every aspect of the telecom landscape. From how networks are managed to how customer relationships are cultivated, AI has already begun to fundamentally alter the rules of the game. In this rapidly changing environment, telecom companies must make a crucial decision: to integrate AI at the core of their operations or to remain reactive and risk falling into a cycle of obsolescence.
For telecom companies, embracing AI is about reinventing the very framework of their business. Companies that approach AI as an essential tool, not just a trendy addition, are setting themselves up for lasting dominance. The shift to AI-first involves making AI the cornerstone of everything a company does.
Telecom companies that fail to adopt this mindset will find themselves swimming against a tide of innovation. AI-first companies are designing smarter, more resilient networks that can anticipate and resolve issues before they occur. With AI, predictive maintenance has become a reality, allowing networks to fix themselves in real time, thereby drastically reducing downtime. Even the advent of Agentic AI represents a major leap forward for today's AI strategies by enabling autonomous, proactive decision-making, moving beyond reactive analytics and automation. For communications service providers, this transition will be transformative, enabling self-optimizing networks, enhancing customer experience, and compelling new levels of operational efficiency. This shift, especially towards self-optimizing networks will be the norm for the next generation of telecom services.
It is tempting to think of AI purely as a cost-reduction tool. After all, automation and optimization offer obvious savings. But AI’s real potential lies in its ability to create new revenue streams, redefine customer experiences, and drive sustainable growth. Telecom companies that are adopting AI-first strategies are not just cutting costs but reinventing their business models and launching new services that were previously inconceivable.
Take customer personalization, for example. AI enables telecom companies to analyse vast amounts of data and craft hyper-targeted offerings that are perfectly tailored to individual customer needs. This goes far beyond offering ‘better deals’ to creating a level of personalization that customers demand. Telecom providers that can leverage AI to meet these demands are building loyalty, which is the cornerstone of long-term growth.
AI-first companies are fundamentally innovative. They view AI as the key to unlocking new possibilities, not just optimizing existing ones. In this sense, AI acts as the innovation accelerator for telecom companies, allowing them to create new products, services, and business models that meet the needs of a fast-evolving market.
Take network management. AI allows telecom companies to move beyond simply maintaining a network to actively evolving it. AI systems can predict traffic patterns, optimize bandwidth distribution, and improve service delivery in ways that were impossible with traditional infrastructure. The result is an always-on, ever-adapting network that can scale as the demands of customers increase.
The emergence of Agentic AI will also prove to be a gamechanger.
Those who continue to take an AI-last approach—implementing AI only when absolutely necessary or reacting to industry trends rather than setting them—are setting themselves up for a future of inefficiency and mediocrity. The telecom industry is moving too quickly for companies to wait on the sidelines. The AI revolution is happening now, and to miss it is to risk being left behind entirely.
Companies that resist this transformation may find themselves outpaced by more agile, AI-first competitors who have already harnessed the power of data, automation, and machine learning to offer better services, faster responses, and more efficient networks. The reality is that AI is now a necessity for telecom companies.
Of course, embracing AI is not just about the technology itself. It is about how companies implement it. AI has the power to reshape customer relationships, enhance services, and unlock growth, but it also brings with it significant ethical and regulatory challenges. Telecom companies that are serious about AI-first must be just as committed to responsible AI (RAI), making sure that AI is used transparently, fairly, and securely.
Consumers are increasingly concerned with how their data is used, and the companies that take these concerns seriously will build trust and loyalty that lasts. Telecom companies that embed ethical considerations into their AI strategy are better positioned to win the trust of consumers who are increasingly wary of how their data is handled.
The future of telecom is AI, but the road to AI leadership is one that requires vision, courage, and commitment. Telecom companies that embrace an AI-first strategy will lead the way in service innovation, network optimization, and customer satisfaction. The question is whether your company will be at the forefront of that transformation or left behind in a rapidly shifting landscape. The time to act is now.
