The AI-driven telecom: How we’re powering transformation

AI is driving unprecedented change and evolution across every industry, and the telecommunications sector is at a particularly interesting crossroads: The industry is standardizing on 5G; data is growing exponentially; and customer expectations are quickly changing. Leading communication service providers (CSPs) are working with Google Cloud to adopt AI and lead the industry forward in terms of innovation.

At Google Cloud, we believe that AI, harnessed boldly and responsibly, has the potential to transform how CSPs operate on planetary scale — and we’re deeply committed to delivering the technologies, tools, and resources that help them do so. From building a strong data foundation, to optimizing network operations, to enhancing customer experiences, our AI-powered solutions and strategic partnerships enable CSPs to innovate and grow their businesses.

Heading into Mobile World Congress 2025 next week, let’s look at the announcements we’ve made with leaders in this industry to build AI-driven telecoms. 

Data migrations are key to adopting AI 

CSPs typically need to move their data into one place to use AI effectively. Google Cloud helps with this by offering tools like BigQuery and Looker, which can store and organize vast amounts of data, creating scalable data lakes and data oceans that can be analyzed by data scientists and businesspeople alike. Our open approach allows integration with existing systems, streamlining data management and getting benefits faster. Combined with our AI infrastructure, CSPs can gain actionable insights, create personalized experiences, and build new services.

DNA, part of Telenor, for instance, announced it has selected Google Cloud to help accelerate its transition to the cloud and support the delivery of fast and reliable services to its customers, allowing it to gradually migrate its on-premises workloads to Google Cloud and pave the way for generative AI adoption. 

Vodafone Italy also announced it has modernized its data architecture by building a new AI-ready platform on Google Cloud called Nucleus. This gives the company enhanced process efficiency, scalability and real-time data processing. In partnership with Amdocs and Google Cloud, Vodafone re-engineered its data pipelines to optimize operational workflows and support business-critical functions. The migration to Nucleus was achieved in only 12 months without interruption or issues. The company’s modern architecture delivers key benefits, including enhanced agility, more efficient reporting, cost optimization, and improved real-time processing.

From reactive to proactive network operations with AI

Telecommunications providers face the constant challenge of maintaining optimal network performance and reliability in a dynamic and increasingly complex environment. Traditional reactive network-management approaches can lead to service disruptions, increased operational costs, and diminished customer satisfaction. Google Cloud's AI-powered platform, which includes Vertex AI and Network Intelligence Center, provides intelligent automation for telecommunications providers, enabling them to analyze network data with BigQuery to identify anomalies, predict outages, and optimize traffic flow in real time. This shift from reactive to proactive management allows CSPs to not only improve reliability and reduce costs, but also create self-healing networks that dynamically adapt to changing conditions. 

Bell Canada, for example, announced its using Google Cloud's AI technologies to automate network issue detection and resolution with its new AI operations (AI Ops) solution. Partnering with Google Cloud has enabled Bell to simultaneously boost software delivery productivity by 75%, accelerating time to market, and reduce customer-reported issues by 25%, significantly enhancing customer experience and solution reliability. And Deutsche Telekom is using Google Cloud's Gemini 2.0 in Vertex AI to develop a network AI agent called RAN Guardian, which can analyze network behavior, detect performance issues, and implement corrective actions to improve network reliability and customer experiences. This collaboration aims to create autonomous, self-healing networks that proactively optimize RAN performance and reduce operational costs.

Then there’s Amdocs, a leading provider of software and services to communications and media companies, which in partnership with Google Cloud, announced recently that it has launched a new Network AIOps solution to help 5G network providers automate complex network operations, enhance service reliability, and improve customer experiences.

Through AI-powered insights, CSPs can deliver superior service quality while streamlining their operations, ultimately driving greater customer satisfaction and loyalty.

Empowering field technicians with AI

CSPs often face challenges in field service operations, such as inefficient dispatching and a lack of real-time diagnostics, leading to longer resolution times and increased customer downtime. Google Cloud's platform, including a multimodal field-tech AI assistant and Customer Engagement Suite, empowers field technicians with real-time diagnostics, predictive maintenance, optimized routing, and agentic workflows powered by Gemini. This leads to fewer worker deployments and faster issue resolution. AI-driven diagnostics proactively identify and resolve potential issues. Predictive maintenance models anticipate equipment failures, enabling scheduled repairs. Agentic workflows and Gemini provide technicians with a comprehensive knowledge base for faster troubleshooting. Smart routing helps ensure efficient dispatch. Together, these AI-powered services help create a streamlined, customer-centric field service operation, providing faster and more effective support.As an example, TELUS' NEO Assistant, an innovative multimodal AI copilot that leverages advanced machine learning and AI technologies like Google Cloud's Gemini model, provides field technicians with instant access to critical information and streamlines workflows. Since its launch, NEO Assistant has been adopted by three-quarters of TELUS field technicians, contributed to the creation of nearly 7,000 jobs, and significantly increased efficiency by allowing tasks to be completed in under a minute.

Delighting customers with AI-driven insights

CSPs are facing increasing pressure to deliver exceptional customer service while managing costs and navigating complex customer journeys across multiple channels. Google Cloud's AI platform, featuring the Customer Engagement Suite, Vertex AI, and Vertex AI Search, empowers CSPs to create exceptional customer experiences. By harnessing AI-driven insights about customer behavior, CSPs can anticipate needs, proactively address issues, and deliver personalized recommendations and seamless interactions, ultimately boosting satisfaction and revenue.

Chunghwa Telecom is using Google Cloud’s AI to enhance strategic decision-making and data analysis, exemplified by tools like NotebookLM Enterprise for strategic decision-making and data analysis, and a Customer Agent using Gemini 2.0 that slashes response times and is projected to reduce billing-related calls by 25% annually. Additionally, automating roaming charge verification with Document AI streamlines operations and reduces costs by eliminating manual invoice processing, leading to potential cost savings for both the company and subscribers.

Glance leverages Google’s suite of AI models, including Gemini and Imagen, to deliver visually captivating and AI-powered experiences that position consumers as the 'heroes' of their digital world. GlanceAI offers an immersive shopping experience from inferred user interests and images uploaded by consumers, drawing consumers in and helping them visualize themselves in various styles so they can make real-time purchase decisions. Here, AI transforms a quick glance at a device into an interactive shopping opportunity, whether on a smartphone lock screen or an ambient TV screen.

Unlocking new revenue streams through APIs

CSPs face high network deployment costs and pressure to innovate, leading them to explore APIs and engage developers to monetize their networks. Google Cloud's developer-centric platform simplifies network asset monetization by providing necessary tools and infrastructure. Initiatives like GSMA Open Gateway foster collaboration and developer access to network capabilities.

Built on the Open Gateway vision, yesterday we announced a new Firebase phone number verification service, providing more than three million Firebase developers with access to critical network CSP APIs such as phone number acquisition and verification. We’re partnering with Deutsche Telekom, Orange, Telefónica, T-Mobile, Telenor, Verizon, Vodafone and others to offer this service to improve developer and end-user experiences, and strengthen security by mitigating fraud — creating new revenue opportunities for CSPs and developers alike. 

The future of AI in telecommunications

MWC 2025 marks a pivotal moment for AI-driven telecom innovation, and Google Cloud is at the forefront of this transformation. As CSPs continue to embrace AI in the coming months, our platform ensures they unlock new efficiencies, elevate customer experiences, and drive business growth. 

For more information, see our press page or visit Google Cloud at Mobile World Congress (MWC) from March 3-6 in Hall 2, Booth #2H40.