DTW Ignite 2025: From vision to scalable value in telecom

As the telecom industry undergoes a transformation of unprecedented scale and urgency, the future of this key global sector was in the spotlight at the DTW Ignite 2025 in Copenhagen, Denmark.

Hosted by TM Forum on June 17-19, the event focused on three strategic priorities reshaping the telecom landscape: AI & Data, Autonomous Networks and Composable IT & Ecosystems.

As a global systems integrator deeply embedded in telecom innovation, CGI was proud to contribute, collaborate and lead conversations on how to deliver measurable business outcomes in an increasingly complex environment. Here are key takeaways and reflections on where the industry is heading and how CGI is helping clients to get there in today’s dynamic new era of opportunity.

AI and data: Moving from experimentation to industrialization

AI’s role in telecom is rapidly growing and accelerating. What was once experimental is now being scaled across operations, product development and customer experience. CGI’s 2025 Voice of Our Clients confirms this momentum: 66% of organizations are applying GenAI to enhance production and operational efficiency. At DTW Ignite, AI was in focus as a foundational enabler of industry-wide transformation, including these highlights:

• Agentic AI in production: Agentic AI was a prominent topic at the forum, reflecting the ongoing emergence of AI systems that are designed to act autonomously, make decisions, interact with one other and achieve specific objectives with minimal human intervention. The participants witnessed insightful demonstrations of autonomous agents monitoring quality of experience, detecting anomalies and responding in real time, which are all evidence of AI’s operational readiness in today’s changing reality.
• GenAI for B2B sales: Intelligent configurators and pricing engines powered by large language models (LLMs) simplify complex B2B quoting processes.
• DT4DI 3.0 launch: The latest viewpoint paper on Digital Twin for Decision Intelligence (DT4DI) introduced guidance on deploying AI agents, digital twins and governance frameworks across the telecom architecture. As LLM usage grows, these structured practices are vital to ensuring responsible and scalable AI.
• AI culture enablement: Several catalysts focused on workforce transformation, using gamification and digital tools to build AI fluency across telco teams. Chief AI officers from telcos emphasized that the true barriers to AI are not technological, but in fact, organizational and cultural. Success depends on cross-functional squads, shared metrics and responsible data practices.

After a couple of years in which communication service providers (CSPs) rushed to pilot and prove values using AI, 2025 will be a pivotal year to truly harness business benefits. At CGI, we developed AI solutions that are positioned to help our clients on this journey.

Autonomous networks: Scaling with confidence

With more than 30 CSPs independently evaluated and several achieving Level 4 autonomy, the shift to intelligent, intent-driven operations is accelerating. Level 4 autonomy, as defined by TM Forum, signifies a network that can largely operate independently with minimal human intervention. Level 4 allows for self-optimization, self-healing and self-configuration within a cross-domain environment driven by intent, using AI modeling and continuous learning. Key highlights include:

• VodafoneZiggo’s Level 4.5 deployment: Real-time intelligence pipelines across multi-domain networks showcased a compelling real-world application of autonomy. VodafoneZiggo, along with platform vendors, exhibited a Level 4.5 autonomous network using real-time, multi-domain intelligence pipelines through open digital architecture (ODA).
• TM Forum Autonomous Networks Level Assessment and Validation (ANLAV) guide: This new implementation guide and validation service offers a structured path for CSPs looking to scale their automation capabilities.
• Ecosystem readiness: Sessions like the Autonomous Networks Summit explored business model integration, intent-based orchestration and zero-touch service assurance.

At CGI, autonomous networks are not just a technical evolution in today’s dynamic reality. These are business imperatives for optimal agility, quality and efficiency.

Composable IT: The leap from plug-and-play to platform economics

Composable IT is emerging as a key enabler to reduce complexity and accelerate time-to-market. Composable IT refers to an IT ecosystem built from modular, independent components that can be easily combined and leveraged to create custom solutions. This approach enhances flexibility, agility and efficiency in responding to changing business needs.

• ODA component certification: With more than 15 vendor solutions certified, including Vodafone Greece and Altice Labs, TM Forum's ODA Canvas is turning modularity into a market reality.
• Cloud-native and API-driven: Live demos showcased how business support systems and operations support systems (BSS/OSS) platforms, partner marketplaces and open APIs enable rapid service composition and monetization.
• Real-world use cases: The Orange–Shabodi collaboration stood out as a model for API innovation, showcasing logistics and transportation use cases powered by telco-grade APIs. By integrating Orange’s robust 5G infrastructure with Shabodi’s NetAware programmable network platform, Orange and Shabodi are paving the way for enhanced production lines and optimized factory operations via the transformative power of Network APIs in the realm of Industry 4.0.

At CGI, composability is more than just an IT design principle. It’s a strategic model for business reinvention that empowers CSPs to evolve continuously without being constrained by legacy complexity.

Catalyst contributions: CGI is at the forefront of innovation

TM Forum provides a collaborative environment in the form of Catalyst projects, where companies work together to address service providers’ critical business and technical requirements, providing innovative, forward-thinking solutions.

CGI was honored to participate in several award-winning and finalist Catalyst initiatives, collaborating with leading CSPs and technology providers to explore AI, sustainability and network integration:

• Agent Fabric – Phase II
  Winner – Catalyst Innovation & AI Categories
  In collaboration with T-Mobile, Orange, Telefonica, Vodafone, Telenor, China Mobile and others.
• UNITe – Terrestrial and Non-Terrestrial Network Integration
  Finalist – Moonshot Monetization & Interactive Showcase
  Co-developed with TELUS, T-Mobile, Terrestar, Airbus and others.
• Autonomous and Sustainable IoT Ecosystem at Scale
  Finalist – Business Impact Category
  Co-created with BT, AWS, Ulster University, OPT-NET, and others.

These achievements validate CGI’s expertise in AI-driven transformation, ecosystem integration and real-world telco innovation.

What comes next: Collaboration at scale

Across keynote stages and Catalyst showcases, one message was clear: the future of telecom will be built through collaborative execution, not isolated innovation. Key imperatives for industry-wide success include:

• AI readiness as a strategic pillar: Building data pipelines, governance frameworks and cross-functional teams is critical for scale.
• Composable architecture for agility: Plug-and-play models will help CSPs reduce time-to-market and increase operational flexibility.
• Trust, sovereignty, resilience: As emphasized in the China Mobile and Chief AI Officers’ keynotes, sovereignty in data and cloud strategy will define how AI is adopted and regulated going forward.

Enabling outcomes that matter

As a trusted partner to today’s leading global telecoms, CGI is committed to turning complexity into clarity and vision into scalable value. Our focus is not simply implementing technologies but integrating them intelligently by aligning business priorities with platform capabilities.

From 5G monetization and network automation to AI innovation and ecosystem scaling, we are proud to support CSPs in navigating the journey into the future with confidence. We look forward to deepening CGI’s productive collaboration with our partners and clients as we continue to drive this next chapter of telecom transformation.

Connect with our AI and telecom specialists to learn how we can help you develop modern AI, autonomy and platform strategies.