As telecom operators face mounting pressure to enhance customer experience, improve operational efficiency and create new revenue opportunities, the focus is shifting from isolated AI initiatives to enterprise-wide transformation. The question is no longer whether to adopt AI, but how to scale it across networks, operations and customer-facing services to deliver measurable business outcomes.

This theme was central to CGI's flagship telecommunications event, Telco Next, in Bengaluru, India, and Stockholm, Sweden, where telecom executives, technology leaders, ecosystem partners and industry experts gathered to discuss the future of AI-native telecommunications.

Although Telco Next India and Sweden reflected different regional priorities, both events underscore a shared reality: operators focused on being AI-native will be best positioned to compete in an increasingly dynamic market.

“AI will play a defining role in helping telecom operators build more resilient, efficient and future-ready businesses,” said Dave Henderson, CTO, CGI. "But transformation is not only about technology. It is equally about creating the right operational model and enabling innovation at scale."

From experimentation to AI-native operations

At Telco Next, telecom leaders, technology experts and ecosystem partners explored how to scale AI from experimentation to enterprise-wide adoption.

Discussions focused on industrializing AI, embedding it into core business processes and delivering measurable outcomes through improved efficiency, resilience and customer experience. Participants emphasized that achieving lasting value requires not only AI technology, but also the right operating models, governance and workforce capabilities.

“The telecom industry is undergoing a major transformation where AI is no longer experimental, it is becoming foundational to how operators build, run and evolve their businesses. To remain competitive, telcos need to modernize both their networks and operating models,” said Rakesh Kapoor, Senior Vice President, BU Lead, Stockholm & Central, CGI.

The challenge of turning AI potential into business value was echoed by industry leaders throughout the event.

Jyoti Shailendra, Senior Vice President, BU Lead, APAC Communications & Media, CGI, also reinforced the importance, “We are seeing a clear shift toward AI-native enterprises where intelligent automation and AI agents will play a critical role. Telecom operators must be able to make faster decisions, operate more proactively and scale innovation efficiently across the organization.”

Mike O'Sullivan, Head of Member Solutions, TM Forum, said, “The telecoms industry stands at a genuine inflexion point with AI. The critical questions are not only technical but also economic: how do we reduce the cost burden, and how do we finally capture the value we create? Getting those answers right will define the next decade.”

Leaders also examined the rise of autonomous networks and intelligent operations, with AI-driven observability, automation and predictive analytics helping operators improve performance and respond more quickly to changing demands Data readiness emerged as another critical requirement for AI at scale.

“Telco CIOs voiced one overriding issue: AI at scale is impossible while data remains fragmented across countless fast-moving sources,” said Rob Morgan, Global Head, Industry Verticals Group, BMC. “They need a unified enterprise data orchestration layer that brings order and control across legacy and modern systems alike.”

A key takeaway was the need to innovate at scale. From AI-enabled services and digital ecosystems to the evolution of Global Capability Centers into innovation hubs, telecom organizations are building the capabilities needed to accelerate transformation and drive business outcomes.

Accelerating transformation through innovation

The events also showcased how CGI supports telecom operators as they modernize networks, accelerate innovation and improve operational performance.

Among the various solutions highlighted, Biraja Mohapatra, Vice President Consulting Expert, CGI demonstrated

  • CGI SmartNetra, developed through CGI's award-winning TM Forum Catalyst initiative. The platform combines real-time monitoring, AI-driven analytics, digital twin simulation and agent-led actions to support the evolution toward autonomous network operations.
  • CGI DevAccel, which applies generative AI agents across the software development lifecycle to help organizations increase productivity and accelerate time to market

CGI’s industry partners BMC, BMC Helix, Pega and UiPath demonstrated platforms and solutions and shared how AI is moving from experimentation to operational deployment.

“Generative AI brings intelligence. Pega AI brings that intelligence to work—governed, predictable and embedded in your processes,” said Daniel K. Österberg-Holm, Vice President, Partner Ecosystem EMEA & APJ, Pega Systems. “Our growing footprint across leading telecom operators is proof that this approach is exactly what the industry needs to move from AI experimentation to industrialized AI at scale.”

These capabilities reflect a broader industry shift toward intelligent, self-optimizing environments that help operators improve efficiency while delivering stronger business outcomes.

Shaping the future of telecommunications

As operators balance growth, efficiency, resilience and customer expectations, AI-native operating models are emerging as a critical enabler of long-term success. Organizations that can scale AI beyond experimentation and embed intelligence across the business will be better positioned to innovate, adapt and compete.

“From a technology standpoint, almost anything is now possible,” said Nicklas Lindersson, GTM Lead Telecom, UiPath. “The real question for telecom operators is not capability—it's urgency and business focus. Customers will increasingly expect AI-enabled services from their operators just as they do from any modern digital provider.”

Through Telco Next, CGI continues to foster industry collaboration and practical dialogue around the opportunities and challenges shaping the future of telecommunications. By bringing together diverse perspectives and real-world experiences, we help telecom leaders translate emerging technologies into actionable outcomes.

To learn more about CGI's Communications & Media offerings, visit this page and connect with one of our experts: https://www.cgi.com/en/communications-media.