provide more comprehensive solutions like smart irrigation systems, drone-based monitoring, and smart weeding technologies. AI can also help the farmer to configure the products based on size of the land, or the number of sensors they may need. Ultimately, it’s about bridging communications and filling knowledge gaps between CSPs, partners, and customers.

It all Starts with an Idea

Again, AI should not be thought of as something you buy, but rather something you build. In this newfound reality AI can be leveraged to nurture and develop vague ideas into fully-fledged solutions. What CSPs, their partners, and customers will benefit from is the ability to take an idea to market in a matter of days. And as more customer and partner solutions are built around specific needs, the CSP will benefit from vastly improved data sets to improve the quality of their AI tools, enabling them to build volume to secure economies of scale and providing choice and reduced prices to engage and build a community.

Risk aversion has held CSPs back from realizing some of their potential and maximizing their investments. But the transformative benefits of AI can remove those blocks and enable more conceptual thinking and experimentation with increased confidence that offers will be launched faster. A combination of Generative AI (GenAI) and Machine Learning (ML) can assist in the configuration of product and pricing through natural language, while also assessing the impact of those changes. Time to produce accompanying marketing collateral can also be slashed, freeing up more resources to spend time understanding the needs of the customer.

As CSPs also pursue redesigning themselves as platform businesses, that transition can be accelerated by AI through higher stratification of customers and partners. This is achieved by streamlining the process of matching partners’ solutions with customers’ requirements, which can be complex due to the sheer number of partnerships in CSPs’ ecosystems and given how siloed their businesses have become. Additionally, customer journeys are elevated through personalized experiences that anticipate needs and provide insightful, relevant recommendations. Conversational AI capabilities make this possible by enabling self service capabilities for customers and thus reducing call center and customer support loads.

Supported by the Right Model

AI is helping to move the needle of human capability. The assistance it provides undoubtedly transforms the ways in which CSPs build solutions and services for customers. The change in mindset to leveraging AI for abstract problem solving represents a real cultural shift. But the telco business model also needs to adapt with it. That means breaking away from the broken, traditional model of upselling connectivity and instead focusing on collaborations with industry partners. By exposing their networks to partners they can collaboratively generate new solutions that were previously non-existent. Through network effect and improved access to a diverse network of partners, CSPs can benefit from valuable insights and resources to more swiftly react to new trends and market developments.

A new operating model is especially critical for addressing the needs of the B2B sector. Enterprises and SMEs are increasingly aware of the business resilience benefits that new technologies can help them achieve. AI is a key driver of that and is very much a C-suite consideration. A new report from BCG marks AI as a top strategic priority for business leaders. However, the report also reveals that most companies are dissatisfied with their progress on AI, citing shortages of skills and talent as well as unclear investment priorities as contributing challenges. This is a key opportunity for CSPs to solve fundamental problems for its business customers. But they must have the right business model to be able to facilitate their customers’ journey of embracing AI, fostering collaborative relationships, and matchmaking customers with the right partners. And that means also providing a unified, single platform for all needs.

As the focus across industries shifts to translating visions for AI into tangible actions, CSPs are at a critical juncture where they can harness AI to drive innovation and profitability. While ideas may be abstract right now, AI is the tool that will help cultivate concepts into unique propositions that drive sales growth and reinforces CSPs’ value as innovators.