AI ethics, tech regulation and the rising currency of trust

Developments in AI this quarter highlight telecoms operators moving beyond connectivity to offer bundled infrastructure for enterprises. Sovereign infrastructure is further strengthening their role in markets with local data requirements, making partnerships and focused industry solutions key to success.

As digital infrastructure becomes increasingly central to key economic and social outcomes, policymakers are placing a greater emphasis on security and resilience. A key development in this context is the European Commission’s proposal to strengthen cybersecurity requirements through an updated regulatory framework – Cybersecurity Act 2 (known as CSA2). This includes provisions that require the removal of critical equipment supplied by designated high-risk vendors from telecoms infrastructure within a defined timeframe. GSMA Intelligence has conducted unique research to assess the cost of removing critical components from high-risk vendors from European telecoms networks.

Financially strong operators are essential to improve network quality, expand coverage, support growth in capacity and deliver new network functionality linked to 5G standalone, AI and beyond. However, over the past decade, structural trends have placed increasing pressure on the industry’s financial foundations. This report is the first in a series that seeks to address a critical evidence gap in the understanding of the financial sustainability of the mobile sector and its main drivers.