Telco AI: State of the Market, Q4 2024

Several dynamics have either emerged or intensified, materially altering the strategic role of the mobile core. These shifts demand a fresh review of how mobile core networks are evolving – and how they must continue to evolve. The mobile core remains an enabling layer. At the same time, it is becoming an intelligent, adaptive platform that will shape how operators compete, differentiate and grow in the AI era – as long as operators know how to put it to use and evolve its capabilities.

By investing in AI factories, telecoms operators can leverage their infrastructure, traffic, customer base and regulatory positioning to capture a meaningful share of the expanding AI and cloud revenue pool. Scenario analysis suggests AI factories could deliver an incremental uplift of 1.5–6.0% to total operator revenues, depending on execution and market share capture. This represents a meaningful growth lever in an otherwise mature industry.

Last month, China’s three major telecoms operators became the first to launch token-based AI plans, packaging AI usage in a way that resembles traditional mobile data bundles, signalling a broader push by operators to commercialise AI, cloud and compute capabilities. This reflects growing interest among operators in monetising AI by moving beyond internal AI efficiencies and towards commercial AI opportunities. The logic is simple – tap the surging interest in AI and put a meter on it – but the concept goes beyond just offering tokens for cash.