AI-driven network automation tops telecom investment plans
New research has identified AI-driven network automation as the top investment priority for telecommunications companies over the coming year.
A study conducted by Motive found that 37% of telecommunications sector respondents are focusing on implementing AI-driven network automation within the next 12 months.
AI focus areas
The research also explored broader adoption trends for artificial intelligence within the telecoms industry. When asked about the greatest opportunities for technology vendors to assist their digital transformation efforts, 38% of the participants pointed to AI-powered customer care and diagnostics as key areas for development and investment.
This stated focus on AI adoption for customer interaction aligns with trends highlighted in other recent industry reports. Analyses by firms such as Omdia and the Broadband Forum, noted in The Future of the Connected Home2025 report, show that nearly all service providers (97%) are looking to AI for predictive maintenance and the analysis of customer usage patterns, to improve their delivery of broadband and networking services.
Operators are increasingly turning to AI for real-time diagnostics, customer experience management, and predictive maintenance. These are key steps in enabling more proactive and autonomous network operations.
Colin Grealish, Product Director at Motive, added, "Motivation for utilising AI goes far beyond efficiency gains. Telcos want to understand how customers use and experience their networks in real time and act on those insights proactively. That's where automation creates real competitive advantage."
Challenges with ROI
While the intention and investment in AI is strong, the sector continues to face obstacles in quantifying its benefits. According to Motive's survey, only 22% of Network X conference respondents said they can currently demonstrate measurable returns on their AI investments.
This trend is also observed in broader research such as the TM Forum's CSP Strategies Benchmark Report (September 2025), which found that 62% of communications service providers (CSPs) had made limited or no progress in measuring their return on AI investments over the past year.
Addressing this, Grealish said, "Demonstrating ROI from AI investment is not a challenge unique to the telco industry, and while this research highlights there is still a way to go on this, we are seeing very positive results from CSPs who have partnered with us to introduce AI-driven automation for network diagnostics, customer care, and service orchestration."
He continued, "Our AI-powered portfolio leverages generative and agentic AI, enabling operators to automate intelligently, act on data instantly, deliver better experiences at scale, and ultimately connect AI deployments into tangible outcomes."
Steady industry shift
The combination of Motive's findings and external industry analysis indicates a steady shift towards the adoption of AI technologies across network management and customer support functions within telecommunications.
Operators, as collected in the Motive survey of 102 telecom professionals, are increasingly investing in AI tooling not only to address operational inefficiencies but also in response to growing expectations for improved and more personalised customer experiences. Predictive analytics and real-time insights are now being viewed as essential tools for the management of both physical and digital network infrastructure.
The Motive survey also corroborates the view that quantifying the outcomes of AI initiatives can remain elusive, with many industry professionals yet to achieve standardised metrics or comprehensive processes to assess the direct business value of such technologies.
Nonetheless, stakeholder sentiment points towards continuing investment and experimentation, particularly in automation, diagnostics, and customer experience, as operators seek to realise measurable improvements and operational resilience from their AI deployments.
