Page 28 - AI Standards for Global Impact: From Governance to Action

AI Standards for Global Impact: From Governance to Action

b) AI and ML applications in telecoms

• Telecommunications companies – with their expertise in deploying large-scale
technology, managing data, and safeguarding privacy – are well positioned to drive
discussions on AI standards to meet address societal and community needs effectively.
• AI, particularly generative AI, is revolutionizing telecommunications by improving
customer care experiences (e.g. moving beyond outdated chatbots) and optimizing
operations such as self-healing networks, network capacity management, and energy
consumption.
• Modern telecommunications infrastructure, with advancements like low-latency
networks and edge computing, supports AI by enabling data processing in the cloud
and facilitating previously impossible applications.
• AI enables real-time network reconfiguration and load balancing, addressing equipment
failures seamlessly without customer impact. This improves user experience, prevents
revenue loss, and eliminates the need for manual interventions that used to take hours.
• In five years, advancements in agent AI within networks and digital infrastructure could
drive greater efficiency, sustainability, and equitable access to knowledge and skills,
supported by collaborative efforts from organizations like ITU and other United Nations
organizations.
• AI enhances telecom operations by automating tasks like bill reviews, reducing errors,
and optimizing resources. It also drives demand for 5G’s low latency, powering
applications like autonomous vehicles, drones, and private networks that add significant
value to the ecosystem.
c) Importance of AI standards

• The growing AI digital divide, driven by data sovereignty and unequal access to AI
capabilities, risks widening disparities between operators in advanced markets and
those in regions like Africa, underscoring the need for standards to support shared
global progress.
• Standardization plays a critical role in enabling interoperability, energy efficiency,
security, trustworthiness, and cooperation across various networks and systems.
• Collaboration among standards bodies is essential to developing standards that
enhance scalability, interoperability, and the security of networks, addressing the
evolving needs of industry and customers.
• Open standardization processes enable broad participation and help ensure localized
relevance and inclusivity, while more exclusive processes may limit value and alignment
with diverse global needs.

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