Survey of nearly 200 global telecom executives reveals a widening gap between AI ambitions and operational readiness
New Delhi // HCLTech, in partnership with Mobile World Live, has released its latest Telecom Pulse Survey Report, highlighting a major disconnect between the telecom industry’s growing expectations from artificial intelligence (AI) and its ability to deploy AI technologies at scale.
The survey draws on insights from nearly 200 senior executives representing network operators, Mobile Virtual Network Operators (MVNOs), Communication Service Providers (CSPs) and telecom equipment manufacturers (OEMs) across global markets.
The findings indicate that while telecom companies increasingly see AI as a potential source of new revenue, many are still struggling with legacy technology, cloud transformation, skills shortages and the organisational changes required to operationalise AI.
60% see AI as a key future revenue driver
One of the most significant findings is that 60% of telecom leaders consider AI a key driver of future revenue.
However, the industry’s readiness to convert this ambition into large-scale implementation remains limited.
Only 25% of respondents said their organisations are currently ready to operationalise AI at scale.
This gap suggests that telecom companies may recognise the commercial potential of AI but still face significant challenges in moving beyond experimentation and individual use cases toward enterprise-wide deployment.
Connectivity increasingly becoming a commodity
The survey also highlights growing pressure on traditional telecom revenue models.
Nearly 70% of telecom executives agreed that connectivity services are increasingly becoming commoditised.
As basic connectivity becomes less differentiated, telecom operators are looking for new sources of growth through digital services, AI-powered offerings, automation, data services and platform-based business models.
However, innovation remains relatively limited. Almost 80% of respondents said their organisations launched fewer than five new digital products or services during the past year.
Legacy systems remain a major obstacle
According to the survey, telecom companies continue to face structural barriers that are slowing their transition from conventional telecommunications companies into technology-driven organisations, often referred to as “TechCos.”
Some of the key challenges include:
- Legacy network and IT infrastructure
- Slow cloud-native modernisation
- Shortages of specialised AI and technology talent
- Difficulty integrating AI with existing systems
- Limited ability to scale successful AI pilots
- Continued focus on operational cost reduction rather than new revenue creation
These challenges make it difficult for operators to move rapidly from AI experimentation to commercially scalable AI services.
Partnerships becoming increasingly important
The survey also underlines the importance of collaboration across the broader technology ecosystem.
Nearly half of the respondents identified partnerships with hyperscalers, AI platform providers and software vendors as essential to accelerating AI innovation and monetisation.
Such partnerships can allow telecom operators to access advanced AI capabilities, cloud infrastructure, software platforms and specialised expertise without having to develop every component internally.
However, the survey suggests that many telecom companies continue to measure the success of AI initiatives primarily through cost optimisation and operational efficiency.
This could limit the industry’s ability to fully exploit AI as a source of new revenue.
Telecom industry at a defining moment
Anil Ganjoo, Chief Growth Officer and Global Head of Telecom, Media and Technology at HCLTech, said the telecom industry is at a defining moment as AI transforms networks into intelligent, platform-driven ecosystems.
According to Ganjoo, connectivity alone is no longer sufficient to sustain growth, and telecom operators need to accelerate their transformation into technology-focused businesses.
HCLTech’s approach focuses on integrating AI more deeply into telecom operations and business models to help operators transition toward AI-enabled, platform-driven TechCos.
From AI experiments to AI at scale
The survey highlights an important shift taking place across the global telecom industry.
For years, telecom companies have experimented with AI in areas such as network optimisation, customer service, fraud detection and predictive maintenance. The next challenge is turning these individual applications into scalable, commercially viable AI businesses.
The gap between the 60% of leaders expecting AI to drive revenue and the 25% who believe their organisations are ready to deploy it at scale demonstrates the size of this challenge.
Telecom operators that successfully address infrastructure, talent and ecosystem issues could potentially use AI not only to reduce costs but also to create new products, services and revenue streams.
Key Survey Findings
| Indicator | Finding |
|---|---|
| Telecom leaders seeing AI as a key future revenue driver | 60% |
| Organisations ready to operationalise AI at scale | 25% |
| Leaders saying connectivity is increasingly commoditised | Nearly 70% |
| Companies launching fewer than five digital products/services | Nearly 80% |
| Respondents highlighting ecosystem partnerships as important | Nearly 50% |
| Survey participants | Nearly 200 senior executives |
What the findings mean for telecom companies
The report suggests that the telecom sector is entering a period where AI capability could become a major differentiator. Traditional connectivity revenues alone may not be enough to support long-term growth, making AI-powered services, digital products and intelligent networks increasingly important.
At the same time, telecom companies will need to address their underlying technology infrastructure, workforce capabilities and organisational readiness before AI can be deployed at scale.
The findings therefore point toward a broader transformation—from connectivity providers to AI-enabled technology companies—with partnerships and cloud-native infrastructure likely to play a central role.
Source: Official press release by HCL Technologies Limited, dated August 17, 2026.
