Artificial intelligence drives autonomous networks, customer service gains

Research from Nvidia highlights significant acceleration in the telecom industry’s transformation through widespread AI adoption, uncovering new business and revenue opportunities.
The annual State of AI in telecom survey, conducted from September to November 2025, gathered responses from 1,038 participants, emphasizing AI’s revenue impact and return on investment (ROI).
Around 90% of respondents, including operators, report positive impacts of AI on revenue and costs, with 60% exploring generative AI, showing substantial interest in this technology.
There is a pronounced increase in AI budgets; 89% of organizations plan to raise their AI budgets in the next year, with a significant rise from 65% the previous year.
Key AI use cases for telecoms include autonomous networks, improved customer service, and internal process optimization, with 50% attributing significant ROI to autonomous networks.
The concept of autonomous networks, which can self-configure, heal, and optimize with minimal human intervention, is gaining traction, with 88% of organizations aiming for higher autonomy levels.
Edge computing and AI-native RAN and 6G networks are increasingly prioritized, driven by spectral efficiency and AI integration, projected to expedite 6G deployment.
AI is seen as a powerful productivity booster, enhancing internal operations and business efficiency across varying levels, according to nearly all survey respondents.