GSMA, IBM collaborate to equip telecom industry with AI skills

GSMA is collaborating with IBM to launch an artificial intelligence (AI) training program and a generative AI challenge and program to prepare the telecom industry for the AI-era and bridge skill gaps.

“The AI training program seeks to prepare telco leaders for the AI-era and bridge skills gaps in the telecom industry, by equipping members with skills and knowledge to help effectively leverage Gen AI technologies utilizing watsonx, IBM’s AI and data platform with AI assistants,” said GSMA in a statement.

The training program will span a wide range of topics, from fundamental AI principles to specialised Gen AI applications in telecoms. The GSMA Advance AI Training sessions will take place at IBM offices in five locations around the world in 2024, including Dubai, London, Mexico, New York and Seoul, and an online training program will be available in multiple languages.

The GSMA Foundry Generative AI program will provide GSMA members with access to IBM’s watsonx. This platform is intended to help telecom stakeholders to explore industry-specific use cases of Generative AI, enabling them to improve “cost leadership, revenue growth and enhance customer experience”.

As part of the ongoing collaboration GSMA Foundry and IBM will drive a series of Gen AI industry programs and challenges to investigate the use of Generative AI in various functional areas of a telecom provider, the statement added.

GSMA cited research findings from IBM, according to which 40% of the surveyed telecoms are exploring or experimenting with generative AI, and 45% have accelerated the rollout of AI.

A separate study from GSMA Intelligence shows that 50% of the surveyed telcos are actively trialing generative AI solutions – at a rate higher than any other priority technology – but its adoption is less prevalent amongst mid-sized and smaller telcos surveyed.

The London-based telco industry association said Generative AI can help transform customer care, IT and network optimisation — all areas in which automation can notably help increase agility and efficiency.

“Artificial Intelligence provides the telecoms industry, and the societies it serves, with huge opportunities to launch new services, improve connectivity and customer experience. Overall, it’s estimated that AI could contribute $15.7 trillion to the global economy by 2030,” said Alex Sinclair, Chief Technology Officer at the GSMA. “However, it’s critical that AI is democratized to ensure that all parts of the connectivity industry and their customers, wherever they are in the world, benefit.”

“As a world leader in AI for business, IBM will provide critical support to this training for the telecom industry through this collaboration with the GSMA,” said Stephen Rose, GM, Global Industries, IBM. “Generative AI can create massive opportunities for communication service providers as they look to optimize current processes, and like the GSMA, our goal is to offer this technology within the industry, which we’re making possible through watsonx.”