Telcos and the AI token economy: China sets the pace
Access this insight with a Standard plan. Contact our sales team to get started.
Or
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. The launches reframe AI consumption as a metered and tiered service. They also signal a broader push by operators to commercialise AI, cloud and compute capabilities. This reflects growing interest among telecoms operators in monetising AI by moving beyond internal AI efficiencies and towards commercial AI opportunities. Similar ambitions have emerged elsewhere, with Reliance Jio positioning itself as a future token service provider at MWC Barcelona 2026, while operators such as Deutsche Telekom, SoftBank and SK Telecom are investing heavily in AI, cloud and compute infrastructure. 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.
Report details
Telcos and the AI token economy: China sets the pace
More info
This report is one of more than 140 published annually as part of the GSMA Intelligence data and research subscription, which is designed for organisations that require regular access to our insights. Contact our sales team for details.
Contact usReport details
Telcos and the AI token economy: China sets the pace
More info
This report is one of more than 140 published annually as part of the GSMA Intelligence data and research subscription, which is designed for organisations that require regular access to our insights. Contact our sales team for details.
Contact usRelated research
Region in Focus: Greater China, Q1 2026
The Region in Focus series provides an essential quarterly briefing on industry developments, market insights and country KPIs for mobile markets around the world. This edition focuses on analysis of the latest developments for Q1 2026 while providing KPIs for the year to December 2025.
GSMA Open Gateway: State of the Market, H1 2026
This latest edition of the GSMA Open Gateway research series provides an update on the state of the market, recent developments and examples of Open Gateway in action. The market is increasingly moving away from operator-specific API exposure and towards platform-mediated distribution, where developers prefer a single integration point with global reach. This changes the commercial dynamic for the ecosystem.
MWC Shanghai 2026: 6G, sovereignty and AI monetisation come to the fore
With a 33% rise in international visitors this year, MWC Shanghai speaks to China’s influence and gravitational pull on the regional Asian tech economy and reciprocal demand from buyers to see and be seen on the MWC stage in an already busy event calendar. The analysis here highlights the key takeaways and implications from the meetings, summits and announcements at the event.
Authors
How to access this report
Annual subscription: Subscribe to our research modules for comprehensive access to more than 200 reports per year.
Enquire about subscriptionContact our research team
Get in touch with us to find out more about our research topics and analysis.
Contact our research teamMedia
To cite our research, please see our citation policy in our Terms of Use, or contact our Media team for more information.
Learn more- 200 reports a year
- 50 million data points
- Over 350 metrics
How can we support you?
Get in touch
Contact the GSMA Intelligence support team for help with your account, subscriptions, or access to reports and insights.
Newsletter
Subscribe to the GSMA Intelligence newsletter for the latest industry news and insights, delivered to your inbox.