India, Aug. 19 -- Telecom operators have spent years investing in cloud, automation, and network modernisation. Artificial intelligence (AI) is now pushing the industry towards another transition: turning those investments into new revenue rather than using technology mainly to reduce costs.

A new survey of nearly 200 senior executives across network operators, mobile virtual network operators (MVNOs), communication service providers (CSPs), and original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) shows a wide gap between AI ambition and operational readiness. While 60% of telecom leaders see AI as a key driver of future revenue, only 25% believe their organisations are ready to operationalise AI at scale.

The finding points to a problem that is bec...